In a dramatic turn in the Jeffrey Epstein saga, the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday secured yet another green light from a Manhattan federal judge to unseal grand jury records and a trove of evidentiary files tied to the late financier’s criminal investigation. The decision marks a major step in a transparency push Congress has now mandated — one that cuts through long-standing secrecy rules like a hot knife through ice.
Judge Says New Transparency Law Leaves ‘No Doubt’
U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman ruled that the Epstein Files Transparency Act (H.R. 4405) “unequivocally” requires the DOJ to release grand jury transcripts and exhibits linked to Epstein’s indictment. The law sets a 30-day deadline once the DOJ completes production — meaning the materials must be public no later than Dec. 19, 2025.
“The plain language of the Epstein Files Transparency Act unequivocally intends to make public Epstein grand jury materials,” Judge Berman wrote, stressing that Congress’s directive “compels” disclosure.
But the law also imposes a crucial safeguard: the DOJ must protect victims’ privacy by redacting personally identifiable information and highly sensitive records.
