Jeffrey Epstein
Washington: As the United States Justice Department faces a Friday deadline to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released various photos of the convicted sex offender on Thursday, December 18.
The photos have revealed Jeffrey alongside prominent figures, prompting strong public interest in identifying the well-known personalities mentioned or photographed with him.
The photos released on Thursday show public figures, including American professor Noam Chomsky, tech czar Bill Gates, filmmaker Woody Allen and former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, among others.
The House Democrats had released the photographs without context, which the Republicans accused them of “cherry-picking” images to show a specific narrative.
Even more photographs show men gathered around a dining table, in what looks like the “Billionaire’s dinner” Epstein hosted in 2011. Former CEO of YouTube Salar Kamangar, Google’s co-founder Sergey Brin and New York Times opinion columnist David Brooks were seen in the photos from the dinner.
A screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation talks about “sending girls,” listing out her description. The messages read, “I don’t know try to send someone else. I have a friend scout she sent me some girls today. But she asks 1000$ per girl. I will send u girls now. Maybe someone will be good for J?”
The private island, which had long hosted powerful men, was often called Little Saint James, located in the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean.
Photos from the island show a bizarre mix of people he interacted with, as well as haunting images of empty bathrooms, bedrooms, and a room with a dentist’s chair.
After Epstein’s death, American billionaire Stephen Deckoff bought the island for approximately USD 60 million in 2023, who had said at the time he would convert it into a luxury resort.
As more information is awaited from the investigation of the Epstein files, the victims remain anxious, not knowing what details will be released to the public.
In a recent interview, a group of survivors said that some of the released photographs were triggering and resurfaced traumatic memories.
However, panel members stated that they redacted all personally identifiable information of victims and survivors in each release, as well as any individuals whose status as victims of Epstein’s abuse is uncertain.
According to reports, lawyers have been examining over 1,000 documents since late November, with limited guidelines on redactions. Legal experts have warned that a rushed process might result in over-redaction or accidental exposure to sensitive information.
Bowing to political pressure from fellow Republicans, Trump on November 19 signed a bill giving the Justice Department 30 days to release most of its files and communications related to Epstein, including information about the investigation into Epstein’s death in a federal jail.
The Justice Department hasn’t said exactly when during the day it intends to make the records public.
The law’s passage was a remarkable display of bipartisanship that overcame months of opposition from Trump and Republican leadership.
Additional photos released can be checked here.
This post was last modified on December 19, 2025 7:49 pm