https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yj4yvx80do
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) released its latest – and largest – tranche of files on Jeffrey Epstein on Tuesday.
The 11,000-plus documents continue a stream of released information that began on Friday, the deadline mandated in a law that required the department to publicly release all of its investigative files into the late convicted sex offender.
Many of the documents released on Tuesday were redacted with names and information blacked out, including names of people who the FBI appears to cite as possible co-conspirators in the Epstein case.
The DoJ is facing criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle over the amount of redactions in its files. The new law specifically states that redactions can only be done to protect the identity of victims or active criminal investigations.
US President Donald Trump’s name appeared more in these new documents than in previous releases. Many were media clippings that mention him, but one notable email from a federal prosecutor indicated that Trump flew on Epstein’s jet.
The DoJ has said that some files “contain untrue and sensationalist claims” about Trump.
Being mentioned in the Epstein files does not indicate wrongdoing. The BBC has requested comment from individuals named in our reporting.
Emails between ‘A’ and Maxwell about ‘girls’
Of the thousands of pages included in this latest release, one 2001 email sent by a person identified as “A” stands out.
The message, to Epstein’s accomplice and close associate Ghislaine Maxwell, says that “A” is at “Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family”.
“A” then asks Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for sex trafficking of minors and other offences: “Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?”
In another email sent later that day, Maxwell writes back: “So sorry to dissapoint [sic] you, however the truth must be told. I have only been able to find appropriate friends.”
The “A” email was sent from the address abx17@dial.pipex.com, with the sender’s name shown as “The Invisible Man”.
An image from a prior Epstein files release showed a different, but similar, email – aace@dial.pipex.com – listed in Epstein’s phone book under a contact titled “Duke of York”.
Another exchange in the new files between Maxwell and “The Invisible Man” discusses a trip to Peru.
In October, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lost use of his Duke of York title following scrutiny over his links with Epstein.
He has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing, and said he did not “see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his [Epstein’s] arrest and conviction”.
The BBC has contacted his team for a response.
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