Photo: Stephanie Keith / Getty Images News / Getty Images
A federal judge in Florida has ordered the unsealing of grand jury records related to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. On Friday (December 5), Judge Rodney Smith granted the Justice Department's request, citing the Epstein Files Transparency Act of 2025, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on November 19. This new law overrides the secrecy requirements typically associated with federal grand jury proceedings.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act mandates the public release of all unclassified records held by the Department of Justice (DOJ) related to Epstein and Maxwell. The DOJ has until December 19 to disclose these records. The ruling marks a significant step toward transparency in these high-profile cases, although the release of the documents is not immediate and will be determined by the DOJ.
The grand jury records in question pertain to multiple investigations, including the 2006-2007 Florida grand jury investigation into Epstein, his 2019 sex trafficking case in New York, and Maxwell's 2021 sex trafficking case. While the Florida request has been approved, the New York requests are still pending, with judges expected to rule soon.
The judge's order expands the amount of Epstein-related documents expected to be released. However, the records themselves may not reveal new evidence against Epstein and Maxwell.
Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking, is serving a 20-year prison sentence and is seeking a pardon from President Trump.