The House Oversight Committee has released a batch of around 70 photos from the estate of late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This marks the third release from an extensive collection of over 95,000 photos the committee has acquired since Epstein's demise.
In light of the upcoming December 19 deadline for the Department of Justice to release all files related to its investigation into Epstein, the new batch includes a range of unsettling images—some featuring quotes from Vladimir Nabokov’s 'Lolita' inscribed across a woman's body, and redacted images of women's foreign passports.
These new images raise more questions about what exactly the Department of Justice has in its possession, stated Robert Garcia, a ranking member of the committee.
What's in the images released
Among the notable photographs included in the latest batch, Epstein is seen interacting with prominent individuals such as professor and activist Noam Chomsky aboard a private plane, and former Microsoft chairman Bill Gates alongside a woman whose identity has been concealed. Other images feature Steve Bannon at a desk opposite Epstein, and Sergey Brin at a social gathering.
Notably, the individuals depicted in these photos have not been implicated in Epstein’s illegal activities, despite public speculation linking them to his actions.
In the official statement accompanying the photo release, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee emphasized the lack of context or timestamps provided by the Epstein estate, suggesting that the visuals aim to offer the public insight into Epstein’s expansive network and disturbing activities.
Among the controversial content in the release, several images show quotes from 'Lolita', including one inscribed on a woman's chest: Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth.
The batch also contains several instances of female passports and identification documents from various countries, including Lithuania and Ukraine, which the committee states are linked to women Epstein and his associates were reportedly involved with.
Additionally, one image presents a striking scene of Epstein surrounded by three female figures, with one woman’s hand on his chest and another assisting a third with a bracelet.
A further examination of the contents reveals a screenshot of text messages from an unidentified sender discussing the procurement of girls, offering shocking context to the ongoing investigation.
Photo release comes ahead of DOJ deadline
The ongoing release of photographs comes as the House Oversight Committee has thousands of images that are both graphic and mundane in nature. In August, the committee issued a subpoena for Epstein's estate, seeking clarity on his network following his death in a New York prison in 2019.
The materials secured by the House Oversight Committee are distinct from the contents referred to as 'the Epstein files', which are documents held by the Justice Department corroborating their investigation into Epstein.
Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law by President Trump last month, the DOJ is mandated to share these documents by December 19, though the specifics of what they contain remain uncertain and are likely to include extensive redactions.
