WASHINGTON

The US Justice Department said Monday that it has released less than 1% of the files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, while more than 2 million additional records remain under review for possible public release.

"To date, the Department has now posted to the DOJ Epstein Library webpage approximately 12,285 documents (comprising approximately 125,575 pages) in response to the (Epstein Files Transparency) Act, and there are more than 2 million documents potentially responsive to the Act that are in various phases of review," the department said in a five-page letter filed with US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.

It said more than 400 lawyers across the department are currently working on the effort, including more than 125 attorneys in the Southern District of New York.

Dozens of lawyers from other US attorney’s offices and Justice Department divisions are also involved, along with more than 100 specially trained FBI document analysts, it added.

Last month, the department said it would release the documents "as soon as possible" after the review as part of its obligations under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law on Nov. 19, as well as existing federal statutes and court orders.

The letter emphasized that while the department is committed to releasing records “as promptly as practicable” under the law, protecting victim privacy “to the maximum extent practicable” remains a central priority.

It was signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Jay Clayton, the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, who told the court the government remains available to address any questions as the review continues.

Epstein was found dead in his New York City jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He pleaded guilty in a Florida court and was convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008, but critics call the relatively minor conviction a “sweetheart deal.”

His victims have alleged that he operated a sprawling sex trafficking network that was used by members of the wealthy and political elite.

Epstein’s case has remained a politically charged issue in the US, with lawmakers and victims’ advocates from across the spectrum demanding greater transparency about his network of associates and any individuals who may have facilitated his crimes.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein. Their past social and business ties as well as Epstein’s extensive links to political, business and academic figures in the US and abroad have fueled calls for the broad release of official records.