New York, December 10, 2025 (Agencies) – A United States federal judge has authorized the Department of Justice to release grand jury documents from the sex trafficking case of Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
District Judge Paul Engelmayer ruled on Tuesday that the files may be published but cautioned that they contain little new information. “They do not discuss or identify any client of Epstein’s or Maxwell’s,” the judge wrote. “They do not reveal any heretofore unknown means or methods of Epstein’s or Maxwell’s crimes.”
Grand jury materials typically include court transcripts and are sealed to protect witness testimony and ensure fair judicial proceedings. However, the newly enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress in November and signed into law by US President Donald Trump, creates an exemption allowing Epstein-related files — even secret grand jury materials — to be released publicly.
Trump, who has faced scrutiny over his past ties to Epstein, initially urged Republican lawmakers to reject the legislation but later reversed course, calling for its passage. “We have nothing to hide,” he wrote on Truth Social in mid-November.
The Justice Department had previously petitioned to unseal Epstein-related grand jury documents in July, but those requests were denied. The latest ruling marks a significant step toward greater transparency, though officials stress the documents are unlikely to reveal new details about Epstein’s network or crimes.