The Justice Department is refusing to reveal the names of two Jeffrey Epstein associates who received large wire transfers from him shortly before his 2019 arrest. The controversy has intensified after new reporting from NBC News.
During a Saturday broadcast, MSNBC anchor Alex Witt reported on a bombshell new story, describing the development as a bombshell before handing off to NBC’s Yamiche Alcindor at the White House. Alcindor explained that NBC’s Tom Winter had just confirmed the DOJ is asking a federal judge to keep the names sealed.
Court documents show Epstein wired $100,000 to one person and $250,000 to another in late 2018. Prosecutors argued the timing suggested an effort to influence witnesses amid renewed media scrutiny of his earlier plea deal.
Alcindor noted that both payments occurred shortly after the Miami Herald began publishing stories about Epstein’s 2008 non-prosecution agreement. That deal shielded some associates from prosecution and drew widespread criticism from victims.
According to Alcindor, the Justice Department told the court that both associates objected to disclosure, citing privacy concerns. Their names were redacted in filings, and the DOJ argued that releasing them would violate long-standing protections for uncharged parties.
The payments became public knowledge only after Epstein was indicted in New York in 2019. Prosecutors used the transfers to argue Epstein should remain in custody, describing them as possible witness tampering.
In August 2019, Epstein was found dead in a federal jail cell, a death ruled suicide by authorities. His death ended the case but left many questions unanswered about his network of associates.
DOJ Refuses to Reveal Epstein Associates Who Took Six-Figure Payouts Before His 2019 Arrest.
Last month, NBC News formally petitioned U.S. District Judge Richard Berman to unseal the names. Their letter said Epstein is deceased, the criminal case has ended, and the DOJ previously announced there would be no further charges.
The DOJ filed its opposition on Friday. Officials argued that the two people remain uncharged third parties who deserve privacy. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton’s letter emphasized that the government does not release such names absent a compelling reason.
The judge has given NBC News until September 12 to respond. It remains unclear when a final decision will be made on whether the redactions will be lifted.
One of the two recipients had been featured prominently in Miami Herald stories that scrutinized Epstein’s lenient Florida plea deal. Prosecutors later identified the same person as an employee who arranged meetings between Epstein and young women.
The other recipient was also named as REDACTED, a potential co-conspirator in the 2008 plea bargain. Both were included in the agreement that prevented federal prosecution of several of Epstein’s associates.
Epstein’s ties to powerful figures remain a point of public fascination. Social records and photographs show him mingling with celebrities, financiers, and politicians, including Donald Trump, during the 1980s and 1990s.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson added fuel to the debate last week by claiming Trump once acted as an FBI informant in relation to Epstein. He offered no evidence to support the claim.
Johnson later clarified that Trump’s description of the Epstein scandal as a “hoax” referred to Democratic attacks, not the crimes themselves. He insisted Trump was horrified by Epstein’s abuse of minors.
Trump has alternated between promising transparency and dismissing Epstein as irrelevant. On the campaign trail, he vowed to release all Epstein files if reelected. His supporters expected that to include names of influential associates.
But in July, the DOJ concluded that there was no Epstein client list and no credible evidence of blackmail. That announcement drew criticism from Trump’s base, who accused him of backing away from a core promise.
Attorney General Pam Bondi
Attorney General Pam Bondi had earlier said documents existed, even claiming they were on her desk. Later, officials rejected those claims, saying there was no evidence of a formal client list.
After the backlash, Trump posted on Truth Social urging supporters not to divide over Epstein. He said the issue was a distraction and insisted his administration remained strong.
Many of his allies disagreed, pressing Congress to force the DOJ to release the records. Lawmakers from both parties have rallied around a bill that would require disclosure of Epstein-related files within 30 days.
Representative Ro Khanna authored the bill, with Republican backing from Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie. Both pledged to read the names on the House floor if the files are unsealed.
Massie has gathered 214 signatures on a discharge petition, only four short of the 218 needed to bring the bill to a vote. He said Congress has a duty to ensure public accountability.
For now, the DOJ is firm in its stance. The names of the two Epstein associates who received $350,000 remain hidden, leaving the next move to the federal judge who will rule on NBC’s request.
