Judge seeks to shield Epstein victims after dozens of names exposed in documents release

Lawyers representing hundreds of victims said dozens of their names appeared unredacted in files from DOJ and Epstein’s estate released by Congress this month.

A federal judge is pressing the Justice Department to explain how it will protect the identities of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims after lawyers said that dozens of their names appeared unredacted in documents released by Congress, prompting what they described as “widespread panic.”

Judge Richard Berman of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday night requested a detailed description of the materials the government intends to release and an explanation of how it will safeguard the privacy of victims, including through redactions. Berman, who oversaw the trafficking case against Epstein, attached a letter from attorneys Bradley Edwards and Brittany Henderson that calls for strict privacy protections in future releases.

The House Oversight Committee’s public release of more than 20,000 documents caused “widespread panic” among survivors, the lawyers wrote.

Newly released emails bring Trump's relationship with Epstein back into spotlight02:20Edwards and Henderson, who represent hundreds of Epstein’s victims, urged the Justice Department to redact all victims’ names in any future materials sent to Congress or made public. They also asked for a private meeting with the DOJ to share a list of more than 300 victims they represent so that federal officials can protect against further disclosures.

The lawyers said dozens of victims’ names appeared unredacted in the cache of documents and emails from the Justice Department released this month, turning the release into a new source of concern for victims who had sought to maintain their anonymity.