A Republican U.S. lawmaker on Wednesday accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of covering up the names of high-profile associates of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as she faced questions about the Justice Department's handling of investigative files in a heated hearing before a House of Representatives panel.

Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, a leading figure pushing for the disclosure of the documents, accused the Justice Department of a "massive failure" to abide by the law as he questioned why billionaire Leslie Wexner's name had been redacted from an FBI document listing potential co-conspirators in the sex trafficking investigation into Epstein.

For much of two decades, police, FBI agents and prosecutors in the U.S. have looked into allegations against Epstein. The Justice Department released what it called a final tranche of more than 3 million pages of documents late last month, renewing public attention to wealthy and powerful individuals who maintained ties with Epstein even after his conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

The following is a timeline of the Epstein investigations and the process of releasing relevant government files.

Initial investigation and plea agreement

In March 2005, Palm Beach police in Florida began investigating Epstein following allegations that he had sexually abused a minor. Subsequent police inquiries identified multiple underage girls who said they had been paid for sexual "massages."

In 2006, a Florida grand jury indicted Epstein on state charges. The FBI also opened a federal probe.

In 2007, Epstein reached a non-prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors in Florida, avoiding federal sex trafficking charges. In June 2008, he pleaded guilty to state prostitution-related offenses and served 13 months in custody with work release privileges.

Years later, a federal judge ruled that the 2007 agreement violated the Crime Victims' Rights Act because victims were not properly informed of the deal, according to Reuters.

Renewed federal charges

In November 2018, renewed media scrutiny brought fresh attention to the earlier plea agreement and prosecutorial decisions.

On July 6, 2019, Epstein was arrested in New York on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors. He pleaded not guilty and was denied bail.

Later that month, then U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta resigned amid scrutiny over his role in the 2008 plea deal.

Death in custody

On August 10, 2019, Epstein was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan while awaiting trial. Authorities ruled his death a suicide.

Maxwell conviction

On July 2, 2020, federal prosecutors arrested Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein, on charges including recruiting underage girls.

On December 30, 2021, Maxwell was convicted on multiple federal counts, including sex trafficking conspiracy. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 28, 2022.

Disclosure of case files

In 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice conducted reviews of investigative materials related to the Epstein case and reaffirmed conclusions regarding his death.

In November 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation mandating the disclosure of certain investigative files related to Epstein, with redactions permitted to protect victims' privacy. The bill was subsequently signed into law.

In December 2025, a federal judge ordered the unsealing of grand jury transcripts connected to the case. Additional documents were released in early 2026 as part of a phased disclosure process.

Ongoing attention

Lawmakers and advocacy groups have continued to call for transparency in the handling of the case while emphasizing the protection of victims' privacy. The release of investigative materials remains subject to judicial review and redaction procedures.