The family of Virginia Giuffre criticized the Department of Justice for releasing Epstein-related files that they say exposed victims' names and images rather than protecting them. The DOJ says it has redacted thousands of names and withdraws files when concerns are raised, but attorneys say sloppy redactions affected nearly 100 survivors. The Roberts family and other survivors will press Attorney General Pam Bondi for answers at an upcoming House Judiciary Committee hearing.
Giuffre Family Accuses DOJ of Releasing Unredacted Epstein Files, Demands Answers
Virginia Giuffre's family criticizes DOJ in handling of Epstein files
The family of Virginia Giuffre—one of Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent accusers, who died by suicide in 2025—has sharply criticized the Department of Justice for how it released a recent tranche of Epstein-related records. Sky and Amanda Roberts, Giuffre's brother and sister-in-law, say survivors were exposed and retraumatized when sensitive names and images appeared unredacted in publicly posted files.
Family Response and Allegations
Sky Roberts told "CBS Mornings" that the releases contain "intimate details" that will be seen by relatives and children. He accused the DOJ of doing the opposite of what the Epstein Files Transparency Act intended: protecting victims' identities while disclosing names of alleged perpetrators.
"These files contain intimate details that family members will see, children will see, and to unredact victims' names is incredibly insensitive and retraumatizing," Sky Roberts said. "They've redacted the names of perpetrators and unredacted the names of victims."
DOJ Response and Document Withdrawals
The Justice Department says it has redacted thousands of victim names across the millions of published pages and that it removes files from its public site when victims raise concerns so officials can consider additional redactions. Still, attorneys for some survivors told a New York judge that sloppy redactions in the latest release upended nearly 100 victims' lives.
In response, the DOJ withdrew several thousand documents and related media from public access while it performs further review. The most recent release reportedly included about 3 million documents and photographs; the department says roughly half of the more than 6 million files required by the Epstein Files Transparency Act have been published on a rolling basis.
Calls For Accountability
Sky and Amanda Roberts — among 20 survivors and family members who issued a joint statement after the release — said the public still lacks the full truth about who enabled Epstein, who participated in his exploitation, and who may have been shielded for years. They plan to attend a House Judiciary Committee hearing where Attorney General Pam Bondi is expected to testify.
Sky Roberts said he expects lawmakers to press for subpoenas and a full investigation, asking pointedly why some names were handled inconsistently and whether more accountability is owed to survivors who have testified under oath.
Context
The Epstein Files Transparency Act required the DOJ to publish materials tied to Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell by Dec. 19. Because of the volume of records, the department released them incrementally and has said a review of the records is complete even though only about half of the total files have been made public.
What’s next: Survivors and family members will press DOJ officials and Attorney General Bondi at the upcoming congressional hearing, seeking clearer answers about redaction practices, potential exposed victims, and whether further action is needed to protect survivors and pursue accountability.
Help us improve.
