Washington, Jan 31 (.) The US Justice Department on Friday released a massive tranche of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including over three million pages of records, more than 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images. The release revives previously unverified claims involving high-profile figures, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
Among the documents are draft emails reportedly written by Epstein that allege Gates contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD) from “Russian girls” during a visit to Epstein’s private island, Little Saint James.
The files said the tech billionaire allegedly sought antibiotics without his wife’s knowledge after the incident, according to a draft email written by Epstein.
The claims appear in emails Epstein wrote to himself in July 2013, addressed to “Bill.”
In the email, Epstein alleged that Gates asked him to obtain “antibiotics” that could be given “surreptitiously” to his then-wife, Melinda Gates, amid fears he had contracted an STD (sexually transmitted disease) following encounters with Russian girls.
“During the past few weeks I have been caught up in a severe marital dispute between Melinda and Bill,” Epstein wrote in the email.
He claimed that, as Gates’ “right hand,” he had been asked on multiple occasions to take part in actions that were “morally inappropriate” and “ethically unsound,” and at times “near and potentially over the line into the illegal.”
“From helping Bill to get drugs, in order to deal with consequences of sex with Russian girls, to facilitating his illicit trysts, with married women, to being asked to provide adderall (for) bridge (tournaments) . I feel I owe it to my friends and future colleagues to admit a moral failure , to ask forgiveness and to move on with my life,” Epstein wrote.
The documents also shed light on social events linked to Epstein. A new set of files reveals that Mira Nair, mother of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, attended an afterparty at convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell’s house following the 2009 premiere of her film Amelia. An email dated October 21, 2009, from publicist Peggy Siegal to Epstein, notes that the party was attended by former President Bill Clinton, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, and others. Siegal described the film’s reception as “tepid,” with women reportedly enjoying it more than men.
The release comes after President Donald Trump signed legislation in November 2019 requiring the declassification of Epstein-related documents within a month, including the disclosure of names of top U.S. officials mentioned in the files.
Epstein, who died by suicide in July 2019, was facing charges of sex trafficking minors and conspiracy to commit such trafficking. Prosecutors alleged he sexually abused dozens of underage girls between 2002 and 2005, paying some cash and using others to recruit additional victims, some as young as 14. Despite widespread public interest, prior attempts to release new materials during the Trump administration faced criticism after the FBI and DOJ stated that Epstein had not blackmailed influential individuals and had no client list.
The releases are mandated under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the DOJ to produce all records related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell by December 19.
The department said the sheer volume of material and the need to redact information identifying survivors necessitated a rolling release.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told reporters that the latest disclosure represents one of the last steps required under legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump, requiring the publication of files related to the deceased sex offender Epstein.
“Today’s release marks the end of a very comprehensive documentation – document identification and review process to ensure transparency to the American people and compliance with the act. The department has engaged in an unprecedented and extensive effort to do so, after submitting the final report to Congress, as required under the Act, and publishing the written justifications for redactions in the Federal Register, the department’s obligations under the act will be completed,” Blanche said.
Blanche said that the release includes more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, which will have “extensive redactions”. He added that the Trump administration had produced roughly 3.5m pages in an effort to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. He said that they include large quantities of commercial pornography and images “that were seized from Epstein’s devices”.
The deputy attorney general said he did not expect the release to quell interest in the case or end speculation about its contents but added that the Justice Department has not refused to charge anyone who may have had sexual relations with or trafficked victims.
“There is a hunger for information that I do not believe will be satisfied by these documents,” he said. “But the assumption that we are covering up evidence or choosing not to prosecute individuals is incorrect. If evidence emerges that allows us to bring charges, we will do so.”
The latest disclosure marks the largest single release to date and follows mounting pressure on the department to clarify when the process would be completed.
. XC .
