A Justice Department memo published earlier this week states that Jeffrey Epstein, the notorious pedophile, had “over one thousand” victims—a figure that is substantially larger than previous estimates. In earlier times, the government claimed that Epstein had “dozens” of victims, and a lawsuit last year claimed there were “hundreds.” The news comes amidst ongoing backlash against the Trump administration for not releasing more information about Epstein.
In many of the previous reports about the Epstein scandal, authorities have referenced the “dozens” of victims that the billionaire is alleged to have abused. Meanwhile, a class-action lawsuit filed last year alleged the predatory financier had “hundreds” of victims. However, in a recently released memo regarding the prison footage at the facility where Epstein was housed prior to his death, the government now claims that Epstein abused “over one thousand victims.” Major outlets like NPR noted the number in their initial reporting on the memo, though the discrepancy between the new figure and the old estimates was highlighted by independent journalist Ken Klippenstein, who wrote about it on his Substack. The key part of the memo states:
Consistent with prior disclosures, this review confirmed that Epstein harmed over one thousand victims. Each suffered unique trauma. Sensitive information relating to these victims is intertwined throughout the materials.
This information is interesting since it seems inconsistent with prior disclosures, and greatly expands the scope of Epstein’s crimes without further explanation. The memo doesn’t otherwise provide any additional information about the hundreds of previously unknown victims, nor does it explain how the government discovered this information. Instead, the memo simply states that the government doesn’t think Epstein had any accomplices that are worth pursuing. “We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties,” the document states. It adds: “Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of those ends.” Gizmodo reached out to the Justice Department for more information.
The Epstein files have become one of the Trump administration’s biggest headaches yet. As the president has failed to release more information, MAGA has become increasingly aggravated, and influential voices that have long supported Trump have begun to question his inaction. Over the past few weeks, figures such as Tucker Carlson, Laura Loomer, and Glenn Beck have all criticized the administration over its handling of the issue. On Thursday, other notable figures like one-time MAGA convert Roseanne Barr and conservative senator Mike Lee questioned the government’s disinterest on the subject. On X, old clips of Joe Rogan’s podcast have circulated that show the podcaster questioning the government’s official narrative.
Meanwhile, conspiracy mogul Alex Jones (who has expressed support for Trump in the past) has been critical of the administration over the matter. “Will the White House officially fly the flag of Jeffrey Epstein and Mossad?” Jones asked sarcastically on Thursday, sharing a photoshopped picture of the White House painted with the colors of the Israeli flag, a reference to the theory that Israel is behind a cover-up of the case. In a later tweet, Jones wrote: “If God spared President Trump’s life it wasn’t so that America could make money and fix the budget, it was to burn down a system that relies on people like Jeffery Epstein. Betrayal of that mission could bring the wrath of God onto America the likes of which we have never seen.” Jones’s show, InfoWars, also alleged that the Trump administration was involved in a “coverup” of the Epstein matter.
Of course, this all looks very bad for Trump since he was reputed to have been friends with Epstein over a period of at least ten years, and often partied with him, and there are plenty of pictures and videos of the two hanging out together. What’s the president’s next move? It’s anybody’s guess, though he’d better do something quick, lest the controversy come to define his presidency for his crankiest loyalists.