WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi made a surprising statement regarding the Trump administration’s plans to release additional files from its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking. Bondi revealed that the FBI was currently reviewing “tens of thousands of videos” involving the wealthy financier with children or child pornography. This revelation, shared with reporters at the White House and later to an individual with a hidden camera, has increased pressure on the administration to present compelling new evidence.
Despite Bondi’s remarks, the specifics of these videos remain unclear. Lawyers and law enforcement officials involved in Epstein’s and Ghislaine Maxwell’s cases have not confirmed the existence of such recordings. Neither Epstein nor Maxwell were charged with possessing child abuse material, a charge that would have been easier to prove than the sex trafficking charges they faced.
A potential lead lies in a court filing from 2023, where Epstein’s estate mentioned the discovery of videos and photos that might contain child abuse material. However, details surrounding these materials are shrouded in secrecy due to a protective order in a civil case. The Justice Department has not confirmed whether this discovery aligns with Bondi’s comments.
Requests to the Justice Department for clarification on Bondi’s statements have been declined. Spokespeople have not provided information on the origin, content, or discovery timeline of the mentioned videos. Bondi has faced scrutiny following a previous release of documents that failed to meet expectations, fueling conspiracy theories around Epstein’s case.
The case’s notoriety, Epstein’s connections, and his death by suicide have fueled speculation and demands for transparency. Bondi’s references to potential evidence and lists of clients have drawn attention, but concrete details have yet to materialize.
There is no evidence to suggest the existence of such a document. The failure to release the documents has left conservatives frustrated and has fueled ongoing conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s case. Conservative figure Laura Loomer has even called for Bondi’s resignation, accusing her of dishonesty. Bondi claimed to have been informed by an FBI source about the existence of thousands of previously undisclosed documents related to Epstein, including videos, and has since been working to prepare them for release. However, the timeline for this release remains unclear.
In a separate incident, Bondi was filmed in a restaurant discussing the Epstein files with a woman who was secretly recording the conversation. Bondi mentioned the existence of tens of thousands of videos involving children, which she claimed the FBI needed to review. This statement was later brought to the attention of the Justice Department by conservative activist James O’Keefe.
Recent statements made by FBI Director Kash Patel to podcaster Joe Rogan have added confusion to the situation. Patel did not confirm Bondi’s claims about the existence of incriminating videos and raised doubts about their accuracy.
Despite years of records being released documenting Epstein’s activities, there is speculation that damaging information about him and other high-profile individuals remains concealed. Epstein’s suicide in 2019 halted the legal process, and subsequent prosecutions, such as that of Ghislaine Maxwell, did not produce any evidence of the alleged videos involving children that Bondi had referred to.
While there have been reports of nude photographs and sexually suggestive materials found in Epstein’s properties, concrete evidence of videos involving children has not been made public. Accusations of surveillance equipment in Epstein’s homes and accounts from accusers have contributed to suspicions of the existence of such recordings.
The computer keyboards, monitors, and disconnected surveillance cameras were found, but the equipment, including video recordings and other electronic items, was missing. There is no indication that prosecutors obtained any missing equipment during the subsequent federal investigation, and the indictment against him did not include any allegations related to recordings.
An AP review of hundreds of documents in the Maxwell and Epstein criminal cases did not reveal any reference to tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with underage girls. One of Epstein’s lawyers, Marc Fernich, stated that he did not personally recall having any discussions about such evidence and was unsure if it was ever located.
Prosecutors mentioned in a 2020 filing that they would provide Maxwell’s lawyers with thousands of images and videos from Epstein’s electronic devices in response to a warrant. However, Pagliuca recalled that the videos mainly consisted of recordings where Epstein was speaking to himself.
The complexity of assessing the Epstein evidence is exacerbated by the number of accusers, court cases, and legal battles across various districts. Recent lawsuits, including those in Manhattan federal court and the U.S. Virgin Islands, allege that financial services giant JPMorgan Chase did not heed warning signs about Epstein. Lawyers issued a subpoena for any video recordings or photos that could support their case.
The Epstein estate disclosed that it had found content that “might contain child sex abuse imagery” while responding to a subpoena. The judge ordered the estate representatives to review the materials before releasing them to lawyers and to alert the FBI to any potential child sexual abuse imagery. The exact details of the evidence found are unclear, and it is uncertain if the recordings referenced were the same ones. This disclosure was included in a complaint to the FBI and the Justice Department, alleging a failure to adequately collect potential evidence of child sex abuse material over the years.
A lawyer representing an Epstein accuser in a new lawsuit cited Bondi’s comments and expressed a desire to understand the content she alluded to.
