Epstein Files bombshell as more than a million further documents discovered

US authorities say lawyers are 'working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims'

More than a million more documents potentially related to the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein have been discovered by US authorities who plan to release them in the coming days and weeks.

The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI have informed the Department of Justice (DoJ) about the astonishing finds and turned over the documents for lawyers to review. It further delays compliance with last Friday's congressionally mandated deadline for all the files to be released.

"We have lawyers working around the clock to review and make the legally required redactions to protect victims, and we will release the documents as soon as possible," the DoJ said on social media on Wednesday.

Given the volume of material the process could take "a few more weeks". The agency said it would "continue to fully comply with federal law and President Trump's direction to release the files".

The statement did not specify how the FBI and New York prosecutors came across the additional material or when the Justice Department was informed of their existence. The Christmas Eve announcement came hours after a dozen US senators called on the Justice Department's watchdog to examine its failure to meet the Friday deadline.

The group, 11 Democrats and a Republican, told acting inspector general Don Berthiaume in a letter that victims "deserve full disclosure" and the "peace of mind" of an independent audit.

The announcement that new documents have been found comes after the Justice Department released thousands of documents last week - some heavily redacted - related to their investigations into Epstein. The files were released after Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act - signed into law by US President Donald Trump - that ordered the agency to share all the documents with the public while protecting victims' identities.

Many of the documents released last week had names and other information blacked out, including names of people the FBI appears to cite as possible co-conspirators in the Epstein case. A law passed by Congress and signed last month by Trump states that names and information that might be embarrassing or cause "reputational harm" are not allowed to be redacted.

Republican representative Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, a co-sponsor of the transparency act, posted Wednesday on X: “DOJ did break the law by making illegal redactions and by missing the deadline”.

The White House on Wednesday defended the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein records. "President Trump has assembled the greatest cabinet in American history, which includes attorney general Bondi and her team — like deputy attorney general Blanche — who are doing a great job implementing the president’s agenda," spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement.

Records that had not been seen before, and were released this week, include transcripts of grand jury testimony from FBI agents who described interviews they had with several girls and young women who described being paid to perform sex acts for Epstein.

Other records made public in recent days include a note from a federal prosecutor from January 2020 that said US President Donald Trump had flown on the financier’s private plane more often than had been previously known and emails between Maxwell and someone who signs off with the initial A. They contain other references that suggest the writer was Britain’s former Prince Andrew. Andrew has consistently and strongly denied any wrongdoing connected to Epstein.

In one, A writes: "How’s LA? Have you found me some new inappropriate friends?"