Epstein Files Name Jay-Z, Weinstein and Pusha T in New Release

The US Justice Department released more than 3 million pages of documents, 2,000 videos and 180,000 images from its Jeffrey Epstein files on Friday. These papers mention celebrities such as Jay-Z, Harvey Weinstein and Pusha T, along with others like Elon Musk and Donald Trump. The release happened after Congress passed a law pushing for full openness about Epstein's case, where he faced charges for sex crimes with minors.

Background

Jeffrey Epstein was a rich financier who died in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. He had ties to many powerful people in business, politics and entertainment. His partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, was convicted in 2021 for helping him recruit and abuse underage girls. She is serving a 20-year sentence.

For years, people have asked the government to share all records from investigations into Epstein. Lawmakers felt the Justice Department held back too much. In November 2025, President Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This law gave the department 30 days to release most files, with changes to protect victims' names.

The first big drop came in December 2025, with over 11,000 files and nearly 30,000 pages. That included court papers, emails and notes. But it missed a deadline of December 19. Officials said they found more than a million extra pages and needed time to check them. Hundreds of lawyers worked on redactions to hide sensitive details about survivors.

On January 27, top officials wrote to Congress saying more files would come soon. Friday's release covers Data Sets 9 through 12 on the department's website. It is part of over 6 million pages found, though only about 3.5 million went public after review.

Key Details

The new files show Epstein's wide network after his 2008 plea deal in Florida, where he served 13 months for sex crimes with young girls. Back then, federal prosecutors chose not to charge him fully, even though they knew about more abuse.

Names of famous people appear in emails, call logs and notes. Jay-Z, the rapper and businessman, gets mentioned in some records. Harvey Weinstein, the movie producer convicted of rape, shows up too. Rapper Pusha T is named alongside them. None of these mentions come from Epstein's own notes or police reports that prove any crimes by them.

Other big names include Elon Musk. Emails show Epstein tried to set up meetings between Musk and women. Musk has said he turned down invites to Epstein's private island. Steve Tisch, co-owner of the New York Giants, admitted a short link with Epstein but said he never went to the island and regrets it.

Steve Bannon, who advised Trump early on, talked politics with Epstein. Bannon asked about using Epstein's plane in 2019 while in Rome. Epstein offered to pay for a charter but details end there. Donald Trump appears often, in gossip emails and calls to tip lines with unproven claims. Trump has said he cut ties with Epstein years ago.

Prince Andrew, once called Mountbatten-Windsor in files, had a known friendship with Epstein. Bill Clinton and Bill Gates also get references, but no proof of wrongdoing.

Document Types

Files include PDFs of phone records, handwritten notes, police reports and interview transcripts. Some cover a 2007 federal probe that ended without charges. There are grand jury papers and chats from Epstein's computers. Many pages are blacked out to shield victims.

"Today's release marks the end of a comprehensive document identification and review process to ensure transparency to the American people and compliance with the Act," wrote Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in a letter to Congress.

What This Means

This drop gives the fullest look yet at what the government knew about Epstein's actions and friends. It shows how he stayed close to elites even after his Florida jail time. No new charges have come from these files against the named people. Most mentions are casual links, like emails or shared news clips, not evidence of crimes.

Lawmakers like Ro Khanna have pushed for more, including victim statements and a draft indictment from 2007. He questions why 2.5 million pages stay hidden. Online talk and conspiracy claims grow, with some saying the government protects big names. Officials deny this and say they followed the law.

For victims, more openness could help close old wounds, but redactions limit full stories. Epstein's death stopped his trial, so many details stay unclear. Maxwell's appeal is ongoing, and some probes continue. The files add to pressure for reviews of past deals that let Epstein off easy.

Entertainment figures like Jay-Z and Pusha T now face questions from fans and media. Jay-Z has built a career in music and sports business. Weinstein sits in prison after convictions in the US and UK. Pusha T keeps releasing albums. Their teams have not commented yet.

The release tests trust in government handling of high-profile cases. Trump faces reminders of his old Epstein link during his term. Musk deals with fresh scrutiny on his past contacts. Broader talks about power and abuse in elite circles pick up again.

Experts say these papers will take months for full review by reporters and researchers. They might spark civil suits or new tips to investigators. For now, they paint Epstein as a man who mixed money, influence and crime for decades.