The Epstein saga officially concludes, but mysteries abound

On Monday, the US government officially concluded they have no evidence that convicted sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein ever blackmailed powerful figures or kept a secret "client list."

The DOJ and FBI also released a video—in both raw and "enhanced" versions—that officials say indicates no one entered the area where Epstein was held on the night when he died in prison, supporting the medical examiner's finding that Epstein killed himself.

Quick background

Epstein ran own financial consulting firm for decades leading up to the early 2000s. He counted many influential figures and billionaires as friends, including former President Bill Clinton, President Trump, Prince Andrew, and more.

• Epstein also orchestrated a yearslong sex trafficking ring—alongside his assistant, Ghislaine Maxwell—through which underage girls were sexually abused across his properties, including the US Virgin Islands.
• His actions came to light in the mid-2000s, resulting in a controversial 2008 deal where Epstein pleaded guilty to procuring a child for prostitution in exchange for a relatively short 13-month prison term.
• Years later, investigative journalism and renewed public interest prompted the launch of a new federal investigation that also covered new actions since his 2008 sentencing.

Epstein was ultimately arrested in July 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges—but died mysteriously just over one month later.

The situation still hasn’t cleared up

Monday’s disclosure by the US government runs counter to the belief among many conservative influencers that Epstein’s crimes also implicated some of the world’s most influential people, and that someone killed him to cover it up.

It also contradicts previous public claims about Epstein’s client list made by AG Pam Bondi. When asked in a February Fox News interview whether the Justice Department would release such a document, she replied: “It’s sitting on my desk right now to review.”

Other questions also remain: The DOJ also said Monday that it has in its possession more than 10,000 “downloaded videos and images of illegal child sex abuse material and other pornography” related to the Epstein case, which it won’t be releasing.

• But multiple people who participated in Epstein and Maxwell’s criminal cases told the AP they hadn’t seen and didn’t know about a trove of such videos and images along the lines of what federal officials referenced.
• Additionally, the video purporting to show that no one came near Epstein the night he died is missing a minute, which AG Bondi explained is standard resetting procedure.

But it’s the end of the road for now: No "further disclosure" of Epstein-related material "would be appropriate or warranted," according to the DOJ and FBI.

📊 Flash poll: In general, do you agree with the federal government’s conclusions regarding the Jeffrey Epstein situation?

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