Investigation into Epstein Case Files Raises Concerns of Tampering and Concealment
Democrat senators and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sex crimes are pushing for an independent review of the case files to ensure they have not been tampered with or concealed. A letter sent to the Justice Department's inspector general, signed by Senate Democrats including Adam Schiff, asks for a formal review into the handling of the records to check for any "chain of custody" problems.
The request comes ahead of the release of the Epstein case files next week, under a federal law that requires the Trump administration to make virtually all related documents publicly available. The impending releases follow months of pressure from both parties for more information on the government's investigations into Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.
Allegations have surfaced that Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel ordered a massive review of Epstein-related records, which resulted in around 1,000 personnel working non-stop to identify any mentions of President Trump. This raised concerns about potential tampering or concealment of evidence.
Survivors' attorney Spencer Kuvin has expressed similar concerns, stating that the records have passed through too many hands and behind too many closed doors for anyone to assume they are intact. He also questioned why there should be no independent verification of the case files.
The Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats are asking the inspector general to audit the handling of the case files and release the results by January 19. They want answers on how many individuals have obtained custody over the materials, among other questions.
The Justice Department has not commented on the request yet, while the inspector general's office declined to speak about its communication with Congress.
Democrat senators and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sex crimes are pushing for an independent review of the case files to ensure they have not been tampered with or concealed. A letter sent to the Justice Department's inspector general, signed by Senate Democrats including Adam Schiff, asks for a formal review into the handling of the records to check for any "chain of custody" problems.
The request comes ahead of the release of the Epstein case files next week, under a federal law that requires the Trump administration to make virtually all related documents publicly available. The impending releases follow months of pressure from both parties for more information on the government's investigations into Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.
Allegations have surfaced that Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel ordered a massive review of Epstein-related records, which resulted in around 1,000 personnel working non-stop to identify any mentions of President Trump. This raised concerns about potential tampering or concealment of evidence.
Survivors' attorney Spencer Kuvin has expressed similar concerns, stating that the records have passed through too many hands and behind too many closed doors for anyone to assume they are intact. He also questioned why there should be no independent verification of the case files.
The Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats are asking the inspector general to audit the handling of the case files and release the results by January 19. They want answers on how many individuals have obtained custody over the materials, among other questions.
The Justice Department has not commented on the request yet, while the inspector general's office declined to speak about its communication with Congress.