The Epstein Files Transparency Act is a US federal law that orders the Justice Department to publish, online, a wide sweep of unclassified material linked to the investigations and prosecutions of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and his long time associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Passed by Congress in late 2025 and signed into law on 19 November, the Act sets a 30 day deadline for the Attorney General to release the material in a searchable, downloadable format.
Officially published by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Deputy Attorney General.
What the law requires, and what can be withheld
The Act encompasses much more than just a collection of case files. It explicitly calls for records that relate to Epstein and Maxwell, flight logs and other travel records connected to Epstein’s transport, and references to individuals and entities alleged to have ties to his trafficking or financial networks.
It also seeks records about immunity deals, non prosecution agreements, plea bargains and sealed settlements involving Epstein or associates, as well as internal DOJ communications about decisions to charge, investigate or decline to investigate.
It also reaches material about Epstein’s detention and death, plus any records concerning the destruction, deletion or concealment of relevant documents or data.
The law says records cannot be withheld, delayed or redacted simply to avoid embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity.
But it does allow redactions in defined areas, including victim identifying information and personal files, child sexual abuse material, content that could jeopardise an active investigation, images showing death or physical injury, and information properly classified for national defence or foreign policy.
After the release is completed, the Attorney General must provide Congress with a report listing what categories were released and withheld, the legal basis for redactions, and a list of government officials and “politically exposed persons” named in the material.
On 30 January 2026, the Justice Department said it had published almost 3.5 million pages in response to the Act, along with more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, and provided the files through a dedicated disclosure page.
