Photo: Alamy
The Trump administration late Tuesday urged two federal judges to unseal grand jury testimony from past sex trafficking cases involving Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, following growing criticism of the government’s handling of the matter.
The Justice Department initially sought permission on July 18 to release transcripts of previously sealed grand jury proceedings, but U.S. District Judges Richard Berman and Paul Engelmayer, both based in Manhattan, requested further explanation before ruling.
In filings submitted just before midnight, prosecutors said the move is justified due to “abundant public interest” and continued scrutiny of federal law enforcement’s role in the cases.
Epstein reportedly died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He had pleaded not guilty. Maxwell, his longtime associate, was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking and is serving a 20-year sentence in Florida. She is appealing her conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court.
President Donald Trump recently said he had instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue the release of the grand jury materials. That statement followed the Justice Department’s announcement concluding Epstein’s death was a suicide and denying the existence of any secret list of clients, a finding that angered many of Trump.
It is unclear whether disclosure of the transcripts would reveal new or significant information. Many of the details about Epstein and Maxwell were aired during Maxwell’s 2021 trial, which featured testimony from alleged victims, former associates and law enforcement officials.
Even if granted, the release would not cover all investigative records in the government’s possession. Prosecutors often gather additional leads and interview witnesses who never testify before a grand jury.
In a separate matter, U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg in Florida last week rejected the administration’s attempt to unseal grand jury materials from earlier investigations in 2005 and 2007. The judge ruled that the government had not met the legal threshold for release.
Last week, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as a lawyer to Trump, met with Maxwell to discuss potential information she might have on other individuals involved in criminal conduct. Neither Blanche nor Maxwell’s attorney has disclosed the content of those discussions.