In early February 2026, the Department of Justice (DOJ) accidentally released the unredacted names and identifying information of numerous Jeffrey Epstein victims. The data breach occurred during the public release of over
3 million pages of investigative files related to the late sex offender.
Key Details of the Incident
- Scale of Exposure: A Wall Street Journal analysis found the full names of at least 43 victims unredacted, including more than two dozen minor victims. Some names appeared over 100 times in the documents.
- Sensitive Data Leaked: Beyond names, the files reportedly included home addresses, medical records, and unredacted images, some of which depicted victims' faces or sensitive settings.
- Lawyers' Reaction: Attorneys representing over 200 survivors characterized the leak as "the single most egregious violation of victim privacy in one day in US history". They demanded that the DOJ immediately take down the entire 3-million-page repository.
- DOJ Response: The Department of Justice temporarily removed thousands of documents to correct "technical or human errors" in the redaction process. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the agency is working "around the clock" to rectify errors as they are reported.
They can't "rectify" the errors. Once something is on the internet, it can't be taken back.
The documents released have been heavily redacted "to protect the victims." So who exactly are the "victims" they're protecting since they're obviously not the underaged girls who were trafficked.