Justice Department moves to unseal Epstein, Maxwell grand jury transcripts amid calls for transparency

Since the memo's July 6 release, officials say, public interest in its conclusions has remained high.

While the department maintains it stands by the memo's findings, the filing emphasizes that "transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration." Given the intense public interest, the DOJ told the court it is moving to unseal the underlying grand jury transcripts to shed light on its investigative work in the Epstein matter.

The DOJ said it will work with prosecutors to redact all victim names and personal identifying information from the transcripts before any release. 

"Transparency in this process will not be at the expense of our obligation under the law to protect victims," the motion assured.

Epstein's longtime confidant, Ghislaine Maxwell, was indicted by a grand jury in 2020 on multiple counts related to trafficking and coercing minors.

She was convicted in December 2021 and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Maxwell's convictions were upheld on appeal in 2024, and she is petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to review her case.

Grand jury proceedings are ordinarily secret by law, or as the motion says, "a tradition of law that proceedings before a grand jury shall generally remain secret." But the filing notes this tradition "is not absolute."

Federal courts have recognized "certain 'special circumstances'" where releasing grand jury records is appropriate even outside the usual exceptions, like when a case holds significant public or historical importance.

The DOJ argues Epstein's case is exactly such a special circumstance given its unparalleled notoriety.

"Public officials, lawmakers, pundits, and ordinary citizens remain deeply interested and concerned about the Epstein matter," the motion notes. 

The motion points out that a Florida judge last year ordered the release of some Epstein grand jury records after concluding the financier was "the most infamous pedophile in American history" and that the facts of Epstein's case "tell a tale of national disgrace."

By the DOJ's account, the sealed grand jury transcripts are "critical pieces of an important moment in our nation's history," and "[t]he time for the public to guess what they contain should end." 

The motion stresses that Epstein's death means any privacy interests on his side are now "substantially diminished." And even though Maxwell is still fighting her conviction, prosecutors said the extraordinary public scrutiny around the Epstein saga justifies pressing ahead with unsealing now.

For these reasons, the DOJ is urging the court to conclude that the Epstein and Maxwell cases qualify as matters of public interest and to grant the unsealing of the grand jury transcripts while lifting any protective orders. 

The unsealing would shine unprecedented light on one of America's most notorious criminal cases, a move the department says is legally justified and necessary in the name of public accountability.

Fox News' Mike Ruiz contributed to this report.