Attorney General Pam Bondi has released the evidence in the Jeffrey Epstein sex case, showing that the FBI seized everything from “copper handcuffs and whip” to a list of 254 masseuses used by Epstein and his rich friends.

Why It Matters

There have been persistent claims that major celebrities had sex with underage teenagers on Epstein’s private island.

By releasing the files, Bondi wants to show that the new Trump administration is being fully transparent.

File photo: Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman points to a photo of Jeffrey Epstein on July 8, 2019 in New York City. File photo: Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Geoffrey Berman points to a photo of Jeffrey Epstein on July 8, 2019 in New York City. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

What To Know

Epstein was known to entertain famous people on his island, Little St. James, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He would often fly people to the island on his private jet, leaving a written record of who traveled there.

The information released yesterday comes from federal prosecutors’ case against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend. Maxwell, 63, is serving a 20-year prison sentence after she was convicted in 2021 of helping Epstein recruit and sexually abuse underage girls.

Financier Epstein, who was accused of preying on underage girls as young as 14, took his own life at the age of 66 in a jail cell at New York City’s Metropolitan Correctional Center in August 2019, before he could stand trial in Manhattan on sex-trafficking charges. Authorities determined he hanged himself. He always denied any wrongdoing.

At the time, Epstein was already a convicted sex offender after being found guilty by a Florida state court in 2008 of one count of soliciting prostitution and one count of soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The documents released on Thursday offer some insight into Epstein’s life.

They show that the FBI seized “one cellophane containing: 3 sheets of paper, a photo depicting two girls and cash disbursements.”

The FBI also seized “1 vibrator, 3 buttplugs, 1 set of cuffs, 1 dildo, 1 leash, 1 box of condoms, 1 nurse cap, 1 stethoscope.” Agents also found “1 set of copper handcuffs” and a range of different-colored massage tables.

Epstein was known to hire underage girls as masseuses and then encourage them to have sex with him and his clients.

A notebook containing Epstein’s list of 254 masseuses is completely redacted to protect the identities of the women involved, many of whom were underage at the time.

While Bondi also released the full flight logs of everyone who traveled to Epstein’s island on his private plane, there is no indication of any wrongdoing on the part of those who went there.

Epstein, a billionaire, had legitimate business and social meetings on the island that were unrelated to his attempts to lure underage girls.

What People Are Saying

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement Thursday night that Epstein was involved in the “sexual exploitation of over 250 underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida, among other locations.”

“This Department of Justice is following through on President Trump’s commitment to transparency and lifting the veil on the disgusting actions of Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirators. The first phase of files released today sheds light on Epstein’s extensive network and begins to provide the public with long-overdue accountability.”

What Happens Next?

Attorney General Bondi has said that she will release thousands more pages from the Epstein investigation.

Bondi, showing some frustration with the FBI, said in a statement on February 27 that she requested the complete files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

“In response, the Department received approximately 200 pages of documents, however, the Attorney General was later informed of thousands of pages of documents related to the investigation and indictment of Epstein that were not previously disclosed,” Bondi said.

“The Attorney General has requested the FBI deliver the remaining documents to the Department by 8 a.m. on February 28 and has tasked FBI Director Kash Patel with investigating why the request for all documents was not followed,” she added.