Never-before-seen footage of Jeffrey Epstein’s island has been released

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have released never-before-seen footage of Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous island.

The photos and video appear to show several bedrooms in the US Virgin Islands home, as well as a room with masks on the wall and a telephone with names written on speed dial buttons.

In a statement, the committee’s Democratic leader, Robert Garcia, said they collectively provide a “troubling glimpse” into Epstein’s world and are being released to “ensure public transparency.”

On November 19, President Donald Trump signed a bill ordering the release of government files on the now-convicted sex offender — a major turning point in a months-long battle over the documents.

Multiple survivors have alleged they were trafficked to and abused on the island, known as Little St James, which Epstein bought in 1998.

The new images from 2020 also show what appears to be a dentist’s chair and a room with a black chalkboard with words like “truth,” “deception” and “power” scrawled on it. Some words have been redacted.

In a statement, Democrats on the oversight committee said the images and videos stem from a Nov. 18 request to the attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands for information about investigations into Epstein and his jailed co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.

“These new images provide a disturbing glimpse into the world of Jeffrey Epstein and his island,” Garcia said.

“We are releasing these photos and videos to ensure public transparency in our investigation and to help piece together the full picture of Epstein’s heinous crimes,” he added. “We will not stop fighting until we have a full picture of Epstein’s heinous crimes.”

According to Garcia, the committee has also received data from JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank, which they plan to release “in the coming days.”

Little St James was one of two islands in the Virgin Islands owned by Epstein.

In 2022, the US territory’s attorney general reached a settlement of more than $105 million (£78.6 million) after local authorities alleged that “dozens of young women and children” were trafficked, raped and assaulted on the two islands.

The footage sheds little new light on the case, other than providing a glimpse into one of Epstein’s crime scenes and lavish lifestyle in the Virgin Islands.

However, the release comes as the Trump administration continues to face pressure to release the broader set of documents held by the US Department of Justice, with Garcia saying in his statement that “it is time for President Trump to release all the files now”.

Later on Wednesday, the committee released a second batch of about 200 images and several videos. Most of these showed the same rooms as the first batch, with some new close-ups of the apparent dentist’s chair and the masks on the walls of that room.

All masks have a similar style and show male faces.

Other images show personal items in the home, such as a large selection of shampoos and conditioners and various art objects, including statues and paintings.

There is also a photo of Epstein and Maxwell meeting Pope John Paul II.

The photos appear to have been taken in 2020, according to the metadata – after Jeffrey Epstein’s death in 2019 – so the house appears to have been packed up, with furniture piled up and artwork removed from the walls.

The release also includes a video showing a walk through Epstein’s property. It shows a palm tree-lined pool with a statue of an archer and a path to the ocean.

The bill that Trump signed last month gives the department a 30-day period – until December 19 – to make them available in a “searchable and downloadable format.”

But there are obstacles to sharing the files with the American public on that date.

First, the bill said the Justice Department can withhold any documents that “jeopardize an active federal investigation or pending prosecution, provided that such withholding is only tailored and temporary.”

That could potentially lead to delays, as Trump has called for investigations into Epstein’s ties to prominent Democrats such as Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers’ to determine what was going on with them, and he [Epstein]”.

The latest bill also says Attorney General Pam Bondi can “withhold or redact” documents containing victims’ names, medical records and other personal information that would “constitute a manifestly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”