By Trendsetter Tribune 
WASHINGTON — The recent release of over three million documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigative files has ignited a firestorm of criticism against U.S. federal authorities. As of February 21, 2026, lawmakers and survivor advocates are pointing to newly unsealed records as definitive proof that the FBI and the Department of Justice (DOJ) had multiple “actionable” opportunities to dismantle Epstein’s sex-trafficking ring decades before his 2019 arrest.
The “Epstein Files,” released under the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act, have exposed a timeline of institutional inertia that allowed the late financier to operate with apparent impunity.
The 1996 and 2011 “Red Flags”
The most damning revelations in the new cache involve specific reports made to federal agents that seemingly went uninvestigated for years.
- The 1996 FBI Report: Documents show that Maria Farmer, a painter who worked for Epstein, filed a report with the FBI as early as 1996. She alleged that Epstein had stolen nude photos of her siblings and was seeking pictures of “young girls at swimming pools.”
- The 2011 “Lost” Interview: A 2011 FBI interview with an unnamed woman detailed Epstein and Maxwell’s predatory tactics. Despite a federal prosecutor being present for the call, no immediate charges followed.
- CBP Connections: Files released on February 19 suggest Epstein cultivated personal relationships with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in St. Thomas to “pre-clear” his private planes, potentially bypassing standard inspections.
Redaction Scandals and “Double Standards”
The DOJ’s handling of the release has itself become a focal point of the controversy, with officials facing accusations of both “catastrophic” errors and intentional obfuscation.
| Issue | Details of the “Botched” Release |
| Victim Privacy | On Jan 30, 2026, the DOJ accidentally published unredacted nude images of victims and private contact info, forcing the temporary removal of thousands of files. |
| Redaction Disparity | Critics noted that while victim identities were leaked, mentions of high-profile political figures—including President Trump and Bill Clinton—were in some cases meticulously redacted or removed. |
| Missing Files | Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) have slammed the DOJ for withholding roughly 3 million pages of the total 6 million identified as responsive. |
Congressional & International Fallout
The fallout has moved beyond the halls of Congress to the international stage, with UN rights experts now weighing in on the “global criminal enterprise” described in the files.
- The “Truth Commission”: Earlier this week, the New Mexico State Legislature approved an Epstein “truth commission” to investigate why the 7,500-acre Zorro Ranch was never searched by federal agents during initial probes.
- The Clinton Subpoenas: Former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton are scheduled to give sworn depositions before the House Oversight Committee on February 26 and 27. Hillary Clinton has publicly characterized the administration’s slow-walking of the files as a “cover-up.”
- UN Rights Warning: UN experts stated on February 17 that the patterns of abuse in the files may meet the threshold for “crimes against humanity,” urging that “resignations of implicated individuals are not an adequate substitute for criminal accountability.”
The “Supply Chain” of Abuse
Senator Ron Wyden recently highlighted a “locked” Treasury Department file detailing 4,725 wire transfers totaling nearly $1.1 billion flowing through a single Epstein account. Advocates argue these financial footprints provided a “road map” for an investigation that authorities chose not to follow for over twenty years.
“The failure here is not merely technical. It is a failure to safeguard human beings who were promised protection by our government.” — Annie Farmer, Epstein Survivor