AG Pam Bondi on Thursday evening started releasing a long-awaited trove of files related to the infamous sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including his contact list, flight logs, and an inventory of evidence gathered by the government against him. However, the roughly 200-page release did not contain any major new revelations.
The first batch of documents has mostly been available to the public for years and, so far, has not revealed any groundbreaking new information. Instead, it listed the names of well-known politicians and celebrities who had already been linked to Epstein in the past. Bondi had told Fox on Wednesday that the files were "pretty sick what a man did."
No Surprises
Bondi has said that a witness told her the FBI Field Office in New York demanded the bureau hand over the material so she could make it public. The Department of Justice's document release on Thursday included several famous names listed in Jeffrey Epstein's contact records.
Among them were Rolling Stones lead singer Mick Jagger, pop icon Michael Jackson, actor Alec Baldwin, Ethel Kennedy—mother of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, supermodel Naomi Campbell, and musician Courtney Love.
Other notable names featured in the records included Bob Weinstein, brother of Harvey Weinstein; businessman David Koch; the late Senator Ted Kennedy; actor Ralph Fiennes; Kerry Kennedy; attorney Alan Dershowitz; John Kerry; actor Dustin Hoffman; businessman Jon Huntsman; Ivana Trump, Ivanka Trump; and model Liz Hurley. The president's name was not present in the contact list.
The list is not Epstein's "clients list" but rather a compilation of names from his extensive contact database.
Although the names from the contact list were revealed, their addresses and personal details were redacted. The vast majority—if not all—of these names had already been reported over the years through lawsuits and previous document leaks related to the case.
Along with the contact list, the Department of Justice also released a redacted roster of Epstein's masseuses. Their names were blacked out because they were classified as victims, totaling 254 people.
The binder also included flight logs from Epstein's private jet, known as the "Lolita Express." These records had been previously published but with certain details redacted. One section of the binder was entirely blacked out, as it contained the names of Epstein's victims.
The flight logs featured signatures from David Rodgers, who had piloted Epstein's plane. Rodgers had previously testified in court about his experiences while transporting Epstein and his associates.
Also, two copies of Epstein's infamous "little black book" had already been made public, listing 349 contacts from the 1990s. One of these copies was even put up for auction.
Long List but No New Shocker
A source who reviewed a binder containing the initial batch of documents—labeled "Phase One"—remarked that Thursday's release would likely be a letdown for those expecting explosive revelations about potential incriminating connections between prominent politicians, business figures, and the disgraced sex trafficker.
It remained unclear whether more Epstein-related documents would be released in the future, but the binder's title suggested the possibility of additional "phases."
Before being made available to the public, the "Phase One" binder had been shared with 15 conservative influencers.
"Now what's interesting is we're all waiting for bombshells," podcaster Liz Wheeler told followers in a livestream on X. "We're all waiting for juicy stuff. And that's not what's in this binder. That's not what's in this binder at all. And that's exactly how the attorney general presented it to us."
"It's fine to feel frustrated," she added. "You should feel frustrated."
Critics, including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who heads a House GOP task force on government transparency, swiftly called for the release of additional information. "I nor the task force were given or reviewed the Epstein documents being released today ... A NY Post story just revealed that the documents will simply be Epstein's phonebook," Luna tweeted.
"THIS IS NOT WHAT WE OR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ASKED FOR and a complete disappointment. GET US THE INFORMATION WE ASKED FOR!"
Bondi has set a Friday deadline for the FBI to hand over the remaining materials. "The first phase of files released today sheds light on Epstein's extensive network and begins to provide the public with long overdue accountability," she said in a public statement.
Epstein's infamous "little black book" was first came to light during a 2009 court case and later made public by the now-defunct website Gawker in 2015.
The book, which dated back to 2004 and 2005, contained entries for several prominent figures, including former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Mick Jagger, Prince Andrew, Governor Andrew Cuomo, actor Alec Baldwin, singer Jimmy Buffett, businessman David Koch, and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
