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Explicit images remain in Epstein files despite outcry
05th February, 2026 02:49 PM
Unredacted images and videos showing nudity released in the Epstein files have been online for days despite US officials being warned about failures in redaction, which lawyers say has caused victims “irreparable” harm.
The files seen by BBC Verify are among thousands of documents lawyers say they have discovered that contain identifying information about dozens of Epstein’s victims.
Victim groups first spoke out about the issue over the weekend when the New York Times reported nearly 40 separate images had been published as part of the Epstein files on Friday, January 30, 2026.
On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, a New York judge said the Department of Justice (DoJ) had agreed to quickly fix the issue after victims called for the website to be shut down until names and images could be properly redacted.
The DoJ removed thousands of documents from its website, stating that the files had been uploaded due to “technical or human error”. The department said it was continuing to review new requests and to check whether any other documents might need further redaction.
BBC Verify independently found that several images of identifiable people were still online on Wednesday, despite the US government stating the previous day that it was tackling incomplete redactions. We have approached the DoJ for comment and supplied the names of unredacted files.
“The damage done is irreparable,” Brad Edwards, a lawyer representing the victims, said in a statement.
“I’m heartbroken for the girls whose information was released,” Ashley Rubright, a survivor of Epstein’s abuse, told the BBC. “That’s such a huge violation of one of the most horrible moments of their lives.”
Four of the images identified by BBC Verify showed partially clothed young females with their faces and bodies unredacted.
They were found during a general search of the millions of files released for evidence of Epstein’s interactions with public figures.
Photos of other people appear to have been redacted in some documents but left unredacted elsewhere. One document contained two versions of the same picture: one showing the face covered by a black square, and the other showing the face in full.
Another video also identified someone who was seen lifting up her shirt and showing her breasts to the camera.
