A federal judge in New York has authorized the public release of grand jury materials related to Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking investigation, following a similar ruling in Florida. The decision comes after Congress passed legislation requiring the Justice Department to release files pertaining to Jeffrey Epstein.
Epstein Files to be Released
U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer ordered the release of the material, citing a recently enacted law that mandates the Justice Department publish files related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein by the end of next week.
The court will implement measures to protect victims by withholding materials that could identify them or infringe upon their privacy, according to the ruling.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in recruiting underage girls for exploitation by Epstein, her former boyfriend, who died in prison in 2019.
On Friday, a Florida judge allowed the unsealing of documents related to the state’s 2005 investigation into Epstein.
The rulings followed the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law by former President Donald Trump in November after initially resisting calls for the files’ release.
The law applies to unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials related to both Epstein and Maxwell, a court order stated.
The Justice Department has until December 19 to publicly release all information from federal investigations into Epstein, though it retains the ability to withhold files involving ongoing criminal investigations or privacy concerns.
Previously, judges in Florida and New York had denied requests to unseal grand jury materials related to Epstein, citing federal rules protecting the secrecy of grand jury proceedings.
After Congress passed the bill, the Justice Department requested the court override these secrecy rules, arguing the legislation’s “clear mandate” superseded them.
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