Epstein Files Release Includes Survivors' Names Despite DOJ Assurances

Lawyers say thousands of victims' identities were not properly redacted in latest disclosure of Epstein case documents.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 10:31am

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Attorneys representing hundreds of Jeffrey Epstein's survivors say the latest release of files on the late sex offender by the Department of Justice includes the names and identifying information of numerous victims, despite DOJ assurances that such sensitive information would be redacted. The DOJ is working to remove the unredacted documents, but lawyers say the damage has already been done.

Why it matters

The release of victims' names without their consent is a serious breach of privacy and could cause further trauma for survivors. This incident raises questions about the DOJ's ability to properly protect the identities of Epstein's victims as it continues to disclose case materials to the public.

The details

The DOJ released 3 million pages from its Epstein files on Friday, with certain sensitive materials like victims' personal information and child pornography images withheld. However, attorneys say thousands of victims' names have been left unredacted in the documents that were released. Lawyers began receiving calls from clients whose names appeared in the files, and they immediately contacted the DOJ to have the unredacted documents removed.

  • The DOJ released 3 million pages from its Epstein files on Friday, January 31, 2026.
  • Attorneys say they began receiving calls from clients whose names appeared in the unredacted documents shortly after the release on Friday.

The players

Brad Edwards

An attorney representing some of Jeffrey Epstein's victims.

Brittany Henderson

An attorney working with Brad Edwards to represent Epstein's victims.

Todd Blanche

The Deputy Attorney General who announced the release of the Epstein files.

Jay Clayton

The U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York who filed a letter about the Epstein file release.

Ghislaine Maxwell

Jeffrey Epstein's associate who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.

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What they’re saying

“We are getting constant calls for victims because their names, despite them never coming forward, being completely unknown to the public, have all just been released for public consumption. It's literally 1000s of mistakes.”

— Brad Edwards, Attorney for Epstein victims

“They're trying to fix it, but I said 'the solution is take the thing down for now. There's no other remedy to this. It just runs the risk of causing so much more harm unless they take it down first, then fix the problem and put it back up.'”

— Brad Edwards, Attorney for Epstein victims

What’s next

The DOJ has asked Edwards and Henderson to flag each document containing unredacted victim names so they can be removed from the public release. The department is working to properly redact all sensitive information before republishing the Epstein files.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the DOJ's struggle to balance transparency around the Epstein case with the need to protect the privacy and safety of his victims. It underscores the immense challenge of properly redacting millions of pages of sensitive documents and the potential for further harm to survivors if the process is not executed flawlessly.