Powerful men in politics and media shown in new Epstein estate images

Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times on Dec 12, 2025

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WASHINGTON — House Democrats on Friday released 19 photographs from Jeffrey Epstein's private email server showing a collection of powerful men in politics, media and Hollywood in the convicted sex offender's orbit.

The photographs — which were released without information on the timing, location or context of the events portrayed — do not reveal any wrongdoing or show sexual acts, but offer more detail about Epstein's well-known associations with prominent men.

The 19 images selected and released by Democrats in the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are a small slice of more than 95,000 photographs the committee received on Thursday from Epstein's private estate, Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat in the committee, told reporters on Friday.

Garcia, of Long Beach, added that the release of the images is an exercise in transparency, and said it serves as an example of why Democrats want to keep the pressure on the Trump administration to release its Epstein files ahead of a Dec. 19 deadline mandated by a law passed by Congress in November.

"I think people should be able to make judgments on their own as to what they see in these photos," Garcia said. "For us this is about transparency."

Most of the images Democrats released on Friday further illustrate Epstein's already well-known relationships with prominent men, many of whom have over the years faced questions about their ties to Epstein, who died by suicide in federal prison in 2019.

Some of the photos show Stephen K. Bannon, a former Trump advisor, meeting with Epstein at an office; tech billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates standing by what appears to be Epstein's private jet; former President Bill Clinton with Epstein's longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell; Epstein with filmmaker Woody Allen on a movie set; and, before he became president, Donald Trump with six unidentified women.

Other images show stand-alone images of sex toys and, in what appears to be an attempt at racy humor, a bowl filled with what a sign identifies as the "Trump condom" — condom packages emblazoned with a caricature of Trump and the words "I'M HUUUGE!"

Trump has denied any involvement or knowledge of Epstein's sex-trafficking operations, but thousands of emails released last month have suggested the president may have known more about Epstein's abuse than he had acknowledged.

Epstein was a convicted sex offender who is believed to have abused more than 200 women and girls. His longtime associate, Maxwell, is serving a 20-year sentence for her role in a sex-trafficking scheme to groom and sexually abuse underage girls with Epstein.

The 95,000 photographs released this week were turned over to the House committee in response to a set of subpoenas issued for records related to Epstein's estate.

Garcia said Democrats on the panel are reviewing the full set of photos and will continue to release them to the public in the days and weeks ahead.

"These disturbing photos raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world," Garcia said. "We will not rest until the American people get the truth. The Department of Justice must release all of the files, NOW."

Trump had tried to thwart the release of what have become commonly known as the "Epstein files" for several months, but reversed course in November under growing pressure form his party.

The president then signed legislation that requires the Department of Justice to release its investigative files related to Epstein by Dec. 19. But his past resistance has led to skepticism among some lawmakers on Capitol Hill who question whether the Justice Department may try to conceal information.

"The real test will be, will the Department of Justice release the files or will it all remain tied up in investigations?" Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said in November. .

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., told reporters on Friday that if the Justice Department does not release its files by Dec. 19 it would be considered a crime.

"This is a new law with criminal implications if they don't follow it," Massie said.

Massie said he was "encouraged" by the Justice Department's requests to unseal court records tied to the grand jury investigations into Epstein and Maxwell. Two judges granted the requests this week.

The Kentucky Republican said the Justice Department is required to release more than just the grand jury investigations, but also files that were not released to a grand jury.

"The FBI and DOJ probably have evidence that they chose not to take to the grand jury, because the evidence they are in possession of would implicate other people, not just Epstein or Maxwell," Massie said. "What we want to see are the facts and evidence that the FBI and DOJ have never given to the grand jury."