A US federal judge has denied a Justice Department request to release grand jury transcripts and exhibits related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, citing legal precedent and concerns for victim privacy.
Judge Richard Berman ruled that the DOJ had not provided sufficient justification to override the long-standing rule of grand jury secrecy. He emphasized that the sealed materials represent only a small portion of the overall investigation file already in the government’s possession.
“The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigation information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice,” Berman wrote in his decision.
This marks the third time a federal judge has refused to unseal Epstein-related grand jury documents. Similar requests concerning Ghislaine Maxwell’s case and a separate Florida proceeding were previously rejected.
The Trump administration has faced pressure to release more information about Epstein’s case, particularly after officials hinted at broader disclosures earlier this year. However, Berman cautioned that unsealing the records could pose threats to victims’ safety and privacy.
Earlier, Judge Paul Engelmayer in New York dismissed a comparable request in Maxwell’s case, calling DOJ’s arguments “unconvincing” and not in the public interest.
Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, is serving a 20-year sentence for her role in grooming and abusing underage girls alongside Epstein.
The DOJ is reportedly working on transcribing a 10-hour interview conducted with Maxwell in July, but it remains unclear whether any additional materials from the Epstein files will be made public.
