Explicit images remained part of the Epstein files despite widespread public condemnation

Unblurred photos and videos containing nudity from the Epstein files circulated online for several days, even after U.S. authorities were alerted to redaction errors—an oversight that lawyers say has led to “irreparable” harm to the victims.

The files viewed are among thousands of documents that lawyers say contain identifying information about dozens of Epstein’s victims.

The victims’ group first raised the issue over the weekend, after the New York Times reported on Friday that approximately 40 separate images had been released as part of the Epstein files.

On Tuesday, a New York judge said the Department of Justice (DoJ) had agreed to quickly rectify the problem, after victims demanded the website be taken down until the names and photos were properly redacted.

The DoJ removed thousands of documents from its website, saying the files had been uploaded due to a “technical or human error.” The department said it was reviewing new requests and also checking whether there were any other documents that might require further redaction.

Separately found that several identifiable images of individuals were still online on Wednesday, despite the US government saying the previous day that it was working on the incomplete redaction issue. We have contacted the DoJ for comment and provided the names of the unredacted files.

“The damage that has been done is irreparable,” said Brad Edwards, a lawyer representing the victims, in a statement.

“My heart breaks for the girls whose information has been released,” said Ashley Rubright, a survivor of Epstein’s abuse. “This is a huge violation of one of the worst moments of their lives.”

Four of the images identified show young girls in revealing clothing, with their faces and bodies unredacted.

These files were discovered during a general search of millions of files released as evidence of Epstein’s interactions with public figures.

Some documents appear to have had images of other individuals redacted, but in other instances, they were left unredacted. One document contained two versions of the same image: in one, the face was covered with a black square, and in the other, the face was fully visible.

Another video showed a person who was identified as lifting their shirt and exposing their breasts to the camera.

Department of Justice (DoJ) officials were tasked with redacting all sexually explicit photos or any information that could identify victims before a new tranche of Epstein’s files was scheduled to be released around Christmas.

Ahead of a congressional deadline, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the files would not be released on time, citing the need for more work to protect the victims’ identities. He said at the time, “We are reviewing every single document that we are going to produce to make sure that every victim—their name, their identity, their story, to the extent that it needs to be protected—is fully protected.”

Separately, it has been found that the files contained medical information and legal statements that revealed the identities of numerous individuals.

Two videos showing fetal ultrasound scans displayed a full name. The time, date, and location of the scans, as well as the gestational age of the fetus, were also clearly visible.

Another document contained a recording of an interview with Epstein in which a lawyer mentioned the name of at least one victim.

Lawyers for Epstein’s victims have sharply criticized the DoJ for failing to adequately protect the hundreds of women identified in the files.

“We’re getting calls constantly from victims because their names—even though they were never out there, never fully known to the public—have just been put out there,” one of the lawyers, Brad Edwards, said on Sunday. “It’s literally thousands of mistakes.”