On Thursday, January 15, 2026, the Department of Justice sent a letter to federal judges, informing it has assigned over 500 people to thoroughly review and investigate millions of documents related to the controversial Epstein Files.
Multiple publications reported that federal officials mentioned the Southern District of New York and the Justice Department’s Criminal Division have tasked hundreds of prosecutors and staff to review and redact “millions of pages of materials” linked to the late financier.
According to The New York Post, the DOJ also claimed that it has made “substantial progress” in the review process after the latest move.
Per CBS News, the letter, signed by Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton, read, “Due to the scope of this effort, platform operations require around-the-clock attention and technical assistance to resolve inevitable glitches due to the sheer volume of materials.”
“Following a process of conferring with victims and victim counsel about this issue, the Department has confirmed that, to the extent any victim requests redaction of personally identifying information of a document in the DOJ Epstein Library, the Department will redact that victim identifying information even if the document is (or was) otherwise available on a public court docket,” it added.
The letter also mentioned that the approximate number of remaining documents and photos remains “in flux.” Meanwhile, ABC News reported that officials involved in the review process allegedly found “substantial” duplications in several files.
NEW: DOJ tells the court it has put more than 500 staff on reviewing and redacting millions of pages of the Epstein files—yet still cannot give a date for full disclosure. pic.twitter.com/iphqfZ0C72
— Amber Speaks Up (@AmberWoods100) January 16, 2026
Authorities further stated that they are “focused on releasing materials under the [Epstein Files Transparency] Act promptly while protecting victim privacy.” However, the letter did not provide any specific confirmed date for when the documents would finally be released.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act ordered the DOJ to release all “unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” related to Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.
But as of December 19, 2025, nearly a month after the introduction of the bipartisan law, the DOJ has reportedly released only 12,285 documents, including 125,575 pages of investigative materials, on the Epstein Library webpage.
Last week, the department announced that nearly two million files were still under review. Officials previously said that the release of the documents is being delayed to protect the personal information of victims and ensure that the ongoing cases are not compromised.
Earlier this week, Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and Ro Khanna (D-California) requested that the US District Judge Paul Engelmayer appoint a special master “to oversee the release” of the Epstein Files so that the investigative materials can be unveiled promptly.
Pam Bondi admits Epstein files release has faced
‘glitches’
The DOJ has failed to meet a December 19
statutory deadline to release the full Epstein files, but Bondi insists progress is being made pic.twitter.com/M7D6mRwydf
— Simo Saadi (@Simo7809957085) January 16, 2026
The files released in December featured unseen photos of Epstein with several high-profile celebrities, including former President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew), and Michael Jackson, among others.
Some photos later released also showed President Donald Trump posing with Epstein before the fallout of their friendship. However, one may note that neither Clinton nor Trump has been accused of any wrongdoing related to the disgraced financier’s crimes.
Back in 2025, the FBI and the Department of Justice dismissed claims related to Epstein’s “client list,” a widely popular rumor that alleged the offender maintained a list of powerful and wealthy men to whom he trafficked young girls.
The joint statement also confirmed that Epstein committed suicide in jail and mentioned that he did not keep any such rumored list.
