More than a dozen photographs have disappeared from the official files of the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. However, the US Department of Justice rejects speculation about political motives and justifies the intervention by protecting the privacy of the victims.
The US Justice Department’s decision on Saturday to remove more than a dozen photos that were released a day earlier as part of files from the investigation into the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has nothing to do with President Donald Trump and was made at the request of organizations helping victims. Deputy Minister Todd Blanche told NBC News on Sunday.
Blanche said on Meet the Press that the deleted unedited photos were of women and will be released again after the Justice Department investigates whether further editing is necessary. He did not specify when that would happen.
NBC News reveals the details
NBC News has learned that 15 photos have been removed from the Justice Department’s website. One featured a shot of a table with framed photos of Epstein with celebrities. In an open drawer, printed photos of Trump with women in swimsuits could be seen.
“We don’t have all the information. If victims’ rights groups bring these photos to our attention, we will take them down and investigate. We will repost the photo, the only question is whether it will be blacked out,” Blanche said.
Inspection for the protection of victims
He also responded to criticism from Democrats for not releasing the full files on Epstein on Friday, as required by a law passed by both houses of Congress in November. According to Blanche, the delay is because the photos and names of Epstein’s victims have to be redacted.
“The reason we’re still reviewing the documents is to protect the victims,” Blanche said. Hundreds of lawyers are examining each document and ensuring that the names of the victims and any information about them are not made public, as required by the aforementioned law, he added.
