BREAKING: Epstein files released – thousands of documents now on US Justice Dept website | BBC News

BREAKING NEWS: Thousands of documents from two criminal investigations into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have been released in the United States.  

Among the files are details of Epstein’s contacts book, revealing new details of his association with wealthy and powerful people.

The first folder released on the Department of Justice website
contains photographs taken during an FBI search of Epstein’s Manhattan home. One image shows black-gloved hands holding up a piece of paper with the address of what was Epstein’s primary residence.

Among the files are many new photographs. Some show the former US president Bill Clinton, apparently in a hot tub and also in a swimming pool. Another shows Mr Clinton alongside Epstein. The former president has never been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein’s abuse.

Other photographs shows Epstein with Mick Jagger and the Microsoft boss Bill Gates. Being named or pictured in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing. Many of those identified in other releases have denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein.

There are new pictures of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former partner and confidante, who is serving a 20-year jail sentence for sex trafficking.

Epstein was convicted of soliciting prostitution in 2008. Later allegations were not brought to trial, because he was found dead in his jail cell in New York in 2019.

The files were released on the day of a legal deadline for the Justice Department to make the information public. However the US Deputy Attorney-General said not all the files are being released.

Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Tom Bateman and Andrew Verity.

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