A tablet screen displays a portrait of Jeffrey Epstein next to a U.S. Department of Justice website page titled Epstein Library, February 11, 2026.
Véronique Tournier | AFP | getty images
Department of JusticeThe internal watchdog said Thursday it is investigating the DOJ’s compliance with a law that requires it to fully disclose the department’s files on notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The audit by the Office of the Inspector General comes after months of complaints that the DOJ failed to comply with the Epstein File Transparency Act by withholding numerous files in its possession. Epstein and his convicted partner, Ghislaine Maxwell.
“Our initial objective is to evaluate DOJ’s processes for identifying, redacting, and releasing records in its possession as required by the Act,” Deputy Inspector General William Bleier said in a statement.
“If circumstances warrant, the OIG will consider addressing other issues that arise during the audit,” Bleier said.
“When our work is complete, the OIG will release a public report with the results of the audit,” he said.
Congress passed the Epstein Files Act in November, months after then-Attorney General Pam Bondi reneged on her promise to release the DOJ’s investigative file on Epstein.
Epstein, a former friend of President Donald Trump, committed suicide in a federal prison in New York City in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on child sex trafficking charges.
Trump fired Bondi on April 2 after reportedly being unhappy with the way the attorney general handled issues related to the Epstein files.
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