New Epstein files put focus on Bill Clinton — but barely mention Trump
Hundreds of thousands of files on disgraced paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein have been released. It is a treasure trove.
Documents – including court records – footage and images, were uploaded on Friday night to the US Department of Justice website.
There was such an ‘extremely high volume of search requests’ that users had to ‘queue’ to access them.
Defying expectations, there was little mention of Donald Trump, who had previously resisted releasing the so-called ‘Epstein files’, branding them a ‘Democrat Hoax’.
Who is pictured in the ‘Epstein files’?
Instead, former US president Bill Clinton featured prominently. Images of showed him in a hot tub alongside an anonymous woman, swimming in a pool with Ghislaine Maxwell and posing with Epstein, and other anonymous women.
The former president has never been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein’s abuse, and has denied knowledge of his sex offending.
His spokesperson said in 2019 the former president had no knowledge of the ‘terrible crimes’ Epstein admitted.
The files also include photos of Epstein with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, billionaire Richard Branson and the late CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite.
The former member of the Royal Family is seen lying over several people with an awkward smile as Maxwell watches on. But has has always denied any accusations of wrongdoing.
Trump also appears in photos in the files alongside multiple anonymous women, while another picture of personal photos on the financier’s desk includes a picture of the now-president.
Otherwise, the politician does not appear to be significantly mentioned in the first batch of files.
Meanwhile, Epstein is shown dressed in tracksuit pants, and looking down at four young women or girls sitting on their knees with their hands in a prayer.
Many of the photographs have been released without context, so it is not confirmed where they were taken and when.
Other famous figures pictured in the files include Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger.
None of the images in the tranche show or imply any wrongdoing on the part of anyone shown in them.
Other files appear to be copies of images of sex toys, and images of several unknown women. But Their faces have been redacted to protect victims’ identities.
The files also include victim statements from women.
One victim, whose name has been redacted, said her first impression of Epstein was ‘really good, made me feel comfortable,’ while another note described Maxwell as ‘very intimidating, very cold.’
In another report made to the FBI, the complainant said Epstein threatened a girl he would ‘burn her house down’ if she told anyone he stole photos of her teenage sisters and is believed to have sold them to interested buyers. He requested pictures of girls in swimming pools.
Another document detailed sexually explicit books ordered by Epstein on Amazon, including one titled: ‘Training With Miss Abernathy: A Workbook for Erotic Slaves and Their Owners’ and ’SlaveCraft: Roadmaps for erotic servitude’, the latter whose author is simply given as ‘a grateful slave’.
Pictures of sex toys seized from Epstein’s home show a pack of ‘sexy loving soap’ and ‘tornado’ vibrators.
Epstein is also shown to have owned a copy of Massaging for Dummies.
One other document shows Epstein was a member of an adult video club, with a receipt showing more than $200 spent on explicit videos.
A selection of bizarre photos also shows Epstein receiving treatments, including his face covered in green masking and his head wrapped in a towel with glasses over the top, and Maxwell and Epstein visiting tourist attractions and taking holiday snaps of each other.
A young Maxwell is also shown blowing out the candles on a birthday cake on several images, while another shows her and Epstein in dressing gownsholding sweets and candy stampers.
What else is in the unreleased batches?
The data dump came after US deputy attorney general Todd Blanche said ‘several hundred thousand’ documents from the so-called ‘Epstein files’ would be released ahead of a legal deadline but the need to protect the sex offender’s victims meant thousands more would be released over the coming weeks.
The US Department of Justice are legally obligated to make all files related to the investigation into Epstein public by midnight on Friday following the passing of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
The paedophile was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan, New York, in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
Trump signed the legislation last month to ensure the release of the files, despite previously resisting disclosure.
Speaking ahead of the release, Blanche told Fox News: ‘I expect that we are going to release several hundred thousand documents today.
‘And those documents will come in in all different forms, photographs and other materials associated with, with all of the investigations into Epstein.’
Explaining why there may be a delay in releasing all the files, Blanche told the broadcaster: ‘What we’re doing is we are looking at every single piece of paper that we are going to produce, making sure that every victim, their name, their identity, their story, to the extent it needs to be protected, is completely protected.
‘And so I expect that we’re going to release more documents over the next couple of weeks.
‘So today, several hundred thousand and then over the next couple (of) weeks, I expect several hundred thousand more.’
Metro has contacted Mr Clinton and Mr Jagger’s representatives for a comment.
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