A new investigation is casting doubt on the Department of Justice’s claim that it has released the full cache of Jeffrey Epstein files, raising questions about whether the American public has seen only a small fraction of the material gathered by federal agents.
According to a report from U.K.-based Channel 4 News, internal emails exchanged between federal investigators and prosecutors suggest that the total volume of data seized during the Epstein investigation far exceeds what has been made public. The broadcaster said its journalists reviewed emails indicating that federal authorities expected to process between 20 and 40 terabytes of data confiscated from Epstein’s properties, including his Florida mansion, New York townhouse and private island.
The report further stated that emails from the “earliest stages” of the investigation in June 2020 referenced data “totaling” up to 50 terabytes. In another internal email dated 2025, officials reportedly described “looking at approximately 14.6 terabytes of archived data.”
By contrast, Channel 4 News noted that the most recent release of Epstein-related materials amounted to more than 3.5 million documents totaling “more than 300GBs.” According to the broadcaster, that figure represents just 2% of the data investigators were discussing as recently as last year.
The disclosures were made pursuant to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated the release of millions of documents tied to the convicted sex offender and required Justice Department lawyers to review all files for material relating to Epstein and his network.
Channel 4 News U.S. editor Asnushka Asthana said on air that officials had identified 6 million pages, including duplicates, and ultimately released over 3 million. “Both those numbers are tiny compared to the amount collected according to today’s emails,” she said.
Some of the internal emails cited in the report painted a troubling picture of the scope and organization of the evidence. “Many files are too large to open… There are many files that are completely invisible to us,” one email read.
Another investigator used a vivid analogy to describe the challenge, writing: “Imagine if we had seized the papers from approximately 100,000 filing cabinets. Then that all just got dumped in one big pile. Documents that had multiple parts stapled together got separated. And then any of those documents that was larger than 100 pages couldn’t be opened. That’s what we’ve got.”
The report has fueled renewed scrutiny of the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein materials and whether the full universe of evidence has truly been made available.
Days after the Channel 4 News report aired, Attorney General Pam Bondi told members of Congress that the department had released all files in its possession related to Epstein, in accordance with legislation passed last year.
In a letter to lawmakers dated February 14, Bondi wrote that the department had “released all ‘records, documents, communications and investigative materials’” concerning Epstein, along with materials falling under eight additional categories specified in the law.
She also stated that the department had provided a list of “all government officials and politically exposed persons’ names” referenced in the released materials, as required by the statute.
The apparent discrepancy between the volume of data discussed in internal communications and the amount ultimately released is likely to intensify calls for further transparency as questions surrounding the Epstein case continue to reverberate years after his conviction.
