US Watchdog to Investigate Handling of Epstein Files Release
The US Department of Justice’s internal watchdog said on Thursday it will investigate how the department complied with a law requiring the release of investigative files related to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), which operates independently, said it will examine the processes used to identify, redact and release the documents. The issue is sensitive because the materials contain names of third parties and potentially classified information.
The law was passed in the US in November in response to long-standing public and political pressure for greater transparency in cases involving powerful individuals.
Epstein, a financier with extensive ties to elite circles, was a convicted sex offender who was awaiting trial on new charges of sex trafficking minors when he died in 2019. His associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in connection with the case.