New photos of Jeffrey Epstein's circle among thousands of files released

New photos of the people in Jeffrey Epstein's circle are among thousands of documents released by the US Department of Justice.

The tranche of material relating to the dead paedophile financier was made public shortly after 9pm UK time - hours before a legal deadline in the US following the passing of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

They include images of his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a prison sentence after she was found guilty of child sex trafficking and other offences in connection with Epstein in 2021.

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In one picture, she is seen posing outside 10 Downing Street, while in another, she is pictured in a swimming pool with Bill Clinton and a woman, whose face has been obscured.

The former US president is also pictured in a hot tub with an unidentified woman in another picture, while a separate image shows a painting of Mr Clinton wearing a blue dress with red high heels.

The context of the photos is unknown and being identified in the files does not suggest any wrongdoing.

In his 2024 memoir, Citizen: My Life After The White House, Mr Clinton wrote: "The bottom line is, even though it allowed me to visit the work of my foundation, travelling on Epstein's plane was not worth the years of questioning afterward. I wish I had never met him."

Mr Clinton's former deputy chief of staff, Angel Urena, issued a statement after the files were released, saying the White House had been "hiding" the files to "shield themselves".

"This isn't about Bill Clinton. Never has, never will be," he said.

"There are two types of people here. The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light. The second group continued relationships with him after. We're in the first."

'Masseuse list'

Many of the documents in the release have been heavily redacted, including a "masseuse list", in which all 254 entries have been blacked out.

All 119 pages of a grand jury document are redacted in their entirety, while scores of women's portraits, many of which appear to show them in sexual positions or are titled "nude", are blacked out.

There are also handwritten notes, flight logs and a contact book.

Another file features a scrapbook showing pictures of Epstein and redacted pictures of women, with the caption on one page: "Is my cover blown?"

The US deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche, said in a letter to Congress that more than 1,200 victims and their families were identified during a review of the records, which have been redacted to protect victims.

Celebrities including the late Michael Jackson, Rolling Stones frontman Sir Mick Jagger, Motown singer Diana Ross and comedian Chris Tucker are among those pictured in the files. There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by them.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his royal titles following controversy over his relationship with Epstein, and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, also appear.

The former duke has been dogged by allegations that he sexually assaulted then 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre after she was trafficked by Epstein. He has always denied the accusations and any wrongdoing.

He paid millions to Ms Giuffre, whom he claims to have never met, to settle a civil sexual assault claim in 2022.

Andrew photo taken inside Sandringham

In one picture from the newly released files, the former prince is seen lying across five women, whose faces have been redacted, while Maxwell is stood behind smiling.

The photo was taken from inside Sandringham, specifically The Saloon. Sky News teams identified the location by comparing the fireplace in the background to previous photos taken in the royal residence.

Several charities cut ties with Ms Ferguson after it emerged she had written a gushing message to Epstein, describing him as her "supreme friend". Her spokesperson said she wrote the note because he had threatened to sue her.

Another Epstein associate, Lord Mandelson, is pictured with the late sex offender blowing the candles out on a birthday cake. It is a picture that has been published before.

Lord Mandelson was fired as the ambassador to the US in September over his links to Epstein.

Among the hundreds of photos included in the files is one of Epstein holding a copy of the Strange Case Of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Epstein appears to be lying on a sun lounger with the book resting on his chest, with part of the photo redacted by the justice department.

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Epstein 'stole pictures of girls aged 12 and 14'

The released files also included a complaint form issued against Epstein in September 1996, in which he is accused of threatening to "burn [the complainant's] house down".

The character of the case is listed as "child pornography".

The complainant stated that she is a professional artist and took pictures of her sisters aged 12 and 14 for her own personal artwork.

She said that Jeffrey Epstein stole the photos and negatives "and is believed to have sold the pictures to potential buyers".

"Epstein at one time requested to take pictures of young girls at swimming pools," the document states. "Epstein is now threatening [redacted] that if she tells anyone about the photos he will burn her house down."

Another document, an Amazon receipt addressed to Epstein shows he spent $68.83 on three books about S&M and erotic slaves in September 2005.

Epstein 'asked for proof girls were under 18'

A different file, from 2019, documented the interview of one of Epstein's potential victims.

They said they witnessed Epstein asking for ID to "make sure" they were under 18.

They added that the convicted sex offender "wanted [to] make sure" someone was under 18 because "he wasn't believing them because [redacted] messed up by bringing more older girls".

The victim also said Epstein "didn't want Spanish or dark girl[s]" and was "not happy" when one was brought to him.

A list of women Epstein was accused of abusing appeared in a July 2006 police report included in the files.

Seventeen females have been listed as people he's accused of abusing in the report - a mixture of adults and juveniles. Information that could identify them has been redacted.

Is Trump in the files?

There is "strikingly" little mention of Donald Trump in this initial drop, according to Sky News' US correspondent James Matthews.

"We know he is in the files - we've been told that by his chief of staff," Matthews said.

But Mr Trump's name is only featured in a single picture in Friday's release, which shows Epstein handing a woman a large novelty cheque with a "D. Trump" signature on it.

The number "97" is written on the back of the picture, appearing to indicate that it was taken in 1997.

It is unclear where the picture was taken, but the novelty check appears to be the same one Epstein was previously pictured holding in a photobook Maxwell put together for his 50th birthday.

The page of the book featuring the image also included a message from "a Mar-a-Lago member joking about selling a 'fully depreciated' woman to Donald Trump for $22,500", according to a post by the Oversight Committee Democrats.

"I assume we have to wait until tranche number two [of the release] at least before we learn about Trump's involvement," Mr Matthews said.

Mr Trump denies knowledge and involvement in Epstein's criminality.

(c) Sky News 2025: New photos of Jeffrey Epstein's circle among thousands of files released