Epstein list phase 1 released: Alec Baldwin, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger mentioned in documents
Jeffrey Epstein 1st phase of files released
Attorney General Pam Bondi released government documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, but the first wave of files posted on the Justice Department website have largely been circulating in the public domain for years.
The U.S. Department of Justice released new Jeffrey Epstein-related files on Thursday, with Attorney General Pam Bondi confirming they include flight logs, names, and "a lot of information."
What's in the document?
The backstory:
Thursday's newly-released documents briefly mentioned Michael Jackson, Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and actor Alec Baldwin. While the list mentions the aforementioned entertainers, the files do not explicitly accuse any of the figures of committing crimes. Particularly for Jackson, Jagger and Baldwin, they were simply name-dropped in the "contact book" that DOJ released in the so-called Epstein files.
Epstein’s crimes and ties to powerful figures have been heavily documented through lawsuits and FOIA requests.
In January 2024, a court unsealed thousands of pages from a lawsuit by Virginia Giuffre, revealing victim interviews, police reports, and legal filings, though much was already public.
Epstein abused minors for years before dying by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial.
The case drew widespread attention because of Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell’s links to royals, presidents and billionaires. Maxwell herself is the daughter of the late British media tycoon Robert Maxwell, who once owned the New York Daily News.
Maxwell, 62, was found guilty in December 2021 of luring young girls to Epstein so he could molest them, between 1994 and 2004. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
What led to the release?
Conservative political commentators were spotted at the White House Thursday holding binders that read "The Epstein Files" hours after Attorney General Pam Bondi promised the release of documents about wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein, who sexually abused underage girls.
On Thursday, February 27, Bondi issued the following statement:
"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."
The binders read "declassified," but it was not immediately clear whether the information contained in the binders had ever been classified. Among those holding the binders was political commentator Rogan O’Handley, also known as DC Draino.