Justice Department Released Additional Epstein Files After Missed Deadline. The Justice Department released additional documents from its files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The new release followed a congressional mandate requiring all eligible Epstein-related files to be made public by Friday. Last week, the department published thousands of documents, including investigative records and photographs, but said it could not complete the release on time due to victim-protection reviews. A group of alleged Epstein victims accused the Justice Department of serious missteps, saying only a fraction of the files had been disclosed. The victims said the documents were heavily redacted without explanation, while some victim identities were left unredacted, causing harm. Epstein, a wealthy financier with powerful connections, died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress and signed by Donald Trump, requires the release of unclassified materials while protecting victims’ identities. The law also allows limited withholding of records that could jeopardize ongoing investigations, provided the delays are narrowly tailored and temporary.