Justice Department is reviewing 5.2 million pages of Jeffrey Epstein files

The Justice Department is scrambling to review about 5.2 million pages related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to comply with a law passed by Congress, a source familiar with the operation told NBC News on Tuesday night.

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is scrambling to review about 5.2 million pages related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to comply with a law passed by Congress, a source familiar with the operation told NBC News on Tuesday night.

That number is much higher than previously known.

The Justice Department was seeking to enlist roughly 400 employees in the effort to sift through the records, which is expected to run from Monday to Jan. 20, two sources familiar with the plan told NBC News.

A Justice Department spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Wednesday that lawyers from department's headquarters, the FBI, the Southern District of Florida and the Southern District of New York "are working around the clock through the holidays, including Christmas and New Years, to review documents in compliance with federal law."