DOJ pushes to keep identities of two Epstein co-conspirators hidden while confirming they will not be prosecuted
The Department of Justice has asked a federal court to keep secret the names of two Jeffrey Epstein associates who received $350,000 from him in 2018.
According to NBC News, the outlet filed a motion to make those names public, but the DOJ has opposed the request, pushing instead for confidentiality.
The associates reportedly pocketed two payments—one for $100,000 and another for $250,000—just days after a Miami Herald investigation revived scrutiny over Epstein’s 2008 plea deal.
NBC News noted that the men were described as “co-conspirators” in Epstein’s arrest for soliciting sex from a minor. Their names were sealed “as part of the plea agreement” that included a guarantee they “would not be prosecuted.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been one of the loudest voices demanding more transparency on the federal investigation. She recently appeared alongside Haley Robsonn at a Capitol Hill press conference to push for the Epstein Files Transparency bill, which calls for the release of remaining documents connected to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Epstein died in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, with his death ruled a suicide. At the time of his second arrest, prosecutors pointed to the mystery associates as one reason Epstein should not be granted bail, warning that he might attempt to interfere with witnesses.
The Herald has repeatedly referenced the two unnamed figures, though their identities remain hidden. Prosecutors have argued that the large payments could point to “efforts to influence witnesses.”
NBC News first sought to have the names unsealed in July. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman gave the DOJ until Sept. 5 to respond. Meeting that deadline, Jay Clayton of the Southern District of New York—formerly SEC chair under Trump and later appointed by him as U.S. attorney—filed a letter to the court.
Clayton stated: “Individual-1 and Individual-2 are uncharged third parties who have not waived their privacy interests; indeed, both Individual-1 and Individual-2 have expressly objected to the unsealing of their names and personal identifying information in the July 2019 Letter.”
Donald Trump has also been pressed on his past ties to Epstein. He told reporters that he cut off contact after Epstein allegedly “stole” female staff from his exclusive Florida club. Their friendship has remained under heavy scrutiny this summer, especially as calls for disclosure grow louder.
Attorney General Pam Bondi continues to face growing demands to release more details about Epstein’s associates and the circumstances surrounding his death. Although Trump promised during his campaign to release the so-called “Epstein files,” little new information has been made public.
In the meantime, speculation continues to swirl. Many Americans—including some of Trump’s strongest supporters—have zeroed in on his long association with Epstein, with photographs of the two together still fueling public doubts.
