Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats and representatives for Jeffrey Epstein's survivors have asked the Justice Department's inspector general to audit the handling of federal Epstein case files to ensure no records were concealed or altered before a mandated public release by Dec. 19. The request follows court orders to unseal grand jury materials and reports that a large review of files may have searched for references to President Trump. Survivors' attorneys say an independent chain-of-custody review is needed; Democrats want the audit results published by Jan. 19.
Democrats Demand Independent Audit To Confirm Epstein Files Were Not Tampered With
Democrats ask for audit to determine if Epstein files haven't been "tampered with"
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee and representatives of Jeffrey Epstein's survivors have asked the Justice Department's inspector general to conduct an independent audit of the federal Epstein case files to ensure records were not altered or concealed before a planned public release.
What Democrats Are Asking For
In a letter sent Thursday, Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats requested a formal review to verify the chain of custody for materials in the Epstein files and to determine whether any documents have been "scrubbed, softened, or quietly removed" ahead of public disclosure. The group asked that the inspector general publicly release the audit results by Jan. 19 and answer specific questions, including how many individuals obtained custody of the materials.
Context And Recent Developments
Under the recently enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act, the administration is required to release nearly all records from federal investigations into Epstein with minimal redactions by Dec. 19. This move follows orders from three federal judges this month to unseal grand jury materials in the investigations into Epstein and his convicted associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, clearing the way for large batches of investigative material to be made public.
The demand for an independent audit follows allegations that a large review of Epstein-related records involved roughly 1,000 personnel and included instructions to flag any references to then-President Trump. Those allegations were first raised by Senate Judiciary Committee members and later reported by news outlets; Democrats say the inspector general should evaluate whether such searches affected the integrity of the files.
"There should absolutely be concern about the chain of custody of the Epstein files," said Spencer Kuvin, a civil attorney representing a group of survivors. "These records have passed through too many hands, behind too many closed doors, for anyone to simply assume they're intact, unaltered, or complete."
Why The Audit Matters
Survivors' representatives and some lawmakers say independent verification is essential because of decades of secrecy, previous institutional protections for powerful people, and the high public interest in full transparency. Prosecutors originally charged Epstein with federal child sex trafficking in 2019; Epstein later died by suicide in federal custody while awaiting trial. Maxwell was convicted in relation to the trafficking conspiracy.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The inspector general's office declined to comment to reporters, noting it generally does not discuss communications with Congress.
Next steps: The inspector general must decide whether to open an audit. If the audit is conducted, Democrats have asked that its findings be released publicly by Jan. 19, after the administration's Dec. 19 disclosure deadline.
