The US Justice Department has disclosed that it must review around 5.2 million pages of files linked to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a process that is expected to delay the full public release of the documents well beyond an initial congressional deadline.
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According to a government document reviewed by Reuters, the scale of the material has prompted the department to mobilise about 400 lawyers drawn from four offices, including the Criminal Division, National Security Division, the FBI and the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan. The review is scheduled to run from January 5 to January 23.
The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI have informed the Department of Justice that they have uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. The DOJ has received these documents from SDNY and the FBI to review…
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) December 24, 2025
Congress had set a December 19 deadline for the release of all Epstein-related records under a new transparency law passed last month with bipartisan support. While the law allows redactions to protect victims, the document indicates that the sheer volume of material makes compliance with the original timeline unrealistic.
The Trump administration ordered the Justice Department to release the files tied to criminal investigations of Epstein, who was socially acquainted with President Donald Trump during the 1990s. Trump has said he severed ties with Epstein in the mid-2000s and was unaware of his criminal conduct.
The document states that participating lawyers are expected to review roughly 1,000 documents a day, dedicating three to five hours daily to the task. To encourage participation, department leaders are offering telework options and time-off awards to volunteers.
The Justice Department said last week it had uncovered more than one million additional documents potentially linked to Epstein, further complicating the review process. So far, the released material has been heavily redacted, drawing criticism from some Republican lawmakers who argue the disclosures fall short of the law’s intent.
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Epstein was convicted in Florida in 2008 for procuring a minor for prostitution and was later charged federally with sex trafficking in 2019. He died in a New York jail the same year in what authorities ruled a suicide.
The department has said lawyers are working around the clock and that the remaining documents will be released as soon as legally required redactions are completed.