EPSTEIN
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Court Records In re Grand Jury 05-02 (WP
==================== DOCUMENT: Court Records__In re Grand Jury 05-02 (WPB) & 07-103 (WPB), No. 925-mc-80920 (S.D. Fla. 2025)__001.txt ====================
METADATA_SOURCE: Court RecordsIn re Grand Jury 05-02 (WPB) & 07-103 (WPB), No. 925-mc-80920 (S.D. Fla. 2025)
METADATA_FILENAME: 001.pdf
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Case 9:25-mc-80920-RLR Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/23/2025 Page 1 of 6
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
Case No.
IN RE: Grand Jury 05-02 (WPB)
07-103 (WPB)
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I
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FILED BY 1 ((1(/
D.C.
,
JUL 18 2025
ANGELA E. NOBLE
CLERK U.S. DIST. CT.
S.D. OF FLA. -W.P.B.
UNITED STATES' PETITION TO UNSEAL GRAND JURY TRANSCRIPTS
At the direction of the Attorney General, the Department of Justice hereby files this petition
asking the Court to release grand jury transcripts associated with the grand jury investigations
described above.
On July 6, 2025, the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a
memorandum describing an exhaustive review undertaken of investigative holdings relating to
Jeffrey Epstein (the "Memorandum"). 1 The Memorandum detailed the steps taken by the
Department of Justice and Federal Bureau oflnvestigation to determine whether evidence existed
that could predicate an investigation into uncharged third parties. As the Memorandum concluded,
no such evidence was uncovered during the review.
Since July 6, 2025, there has been extensive public interest in the basis for the
Memorandum's conclusions. While the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau oflnvestigation
continue to adhere to the conclusions reached in the Memorandum, transparency to the American
public is of the utmost importance to this Administration. Given the public interest in the
investigative work conducted by the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation
into Epstein, the Department of Justice petitions the Court to unseal the underlying grand jury
ht:t17s://www.justice.gov/opa/media/l40700l/dl?inline.
Case 9:25-mc-80920-RLR Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/23/2025 Page 2 of 6
transcripts in United States v. Epstein, subject to appropriate redactions of victim-related and other
personal identifying information.2 The Department will work with the United States Attorney's
Offices for Southern District of New York and Southern District of Florida to make appropriate
redactions of victim-related information and other personal identifying information prior to
releasing the transcripts. Transparency in this process will not be at the expense of our obligation
under the law to protect victims.
1.
On July 2, 2019, a grand jury sitting in the Southern District of New York returned
an indictment charging Epstein with sex trafficking offenses. See Dkt. No. 2. On August 10, 2019,
while awaiting trial, Epstein committed suicide in his cell in the Metropolitan Correctional Center
in New York City. Soon after, the Court dismissed the indictment. Dkt. No. 52.
2.
On June 29, 2020, a grand jury sitting in the Southern District of New York charged
Epstein's longtime confidant, Ghislaine Maxwell, with numerous offenses related to the trafficking
and coercion of minors. See United States v. Maxwell, 1 :20-cr-330, Dkt. No. 1 (S.D.N.Y. June 29,
2020). In December 2021, a jury found Maxwell guilty on several counts. Maxwell was sentenced
to 240 months' imprisonment and the Second Circuit later affirmed her convictions and sentence.
See United States v. Maxwell, 118 F.4th 256 (2d Cir. 2024).
3.
On July 6, 2025, the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation
announced the conclusion of their review of the particulars of Epstein's crimes and death. Since
then, the public's interest in the Epstein matter has remained. Given this longstanding and
legitimate interest, the government now moves to unseal grand jury transcripts associated with
Epstein.
The Department of Justice is filing similar motions in United States v. Maxwell, 1 :20-cr-330 (S.D.N.Y.), and in
United States v. Epstein, 1 :19-cr-490 (S.D.N.Y.).
Case 9:25-mc-80920-RLR Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 07/23/2025 Page 3 of 6
4.
"It is a tradition of law that proceedings before a grand jury shall generally remain
secret." In re Biaggi, 478 F.2d 489 (2d Cir. 1973). "[T]he tradition of secrecy," however, "is not
absolute." In re Petition of Nat. Sec. Archive, 104 F. Supp. 3d 625, 628 (S.D.N.Y. 2015). Although
Rule 6(b)(3) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure generally lists the exceptions to grand
jury secrecy, the Second Circuit has recognized that "there are certain 'special circumstances' in
which release of grand jury records is appropriate even outside the boundaries of the rule." In re
Craig, 131 F.3d 99, 102 (2d Cir. 1997); see also Carlson v. United States, 837 F.3d 753, 767 (7th
Cir. 2016) ("Rule 6( e )(3 )(E) does not displace that inherent power. It merely identifies a permissive