Over 1 mln potential files related to Epstein case uncovered: US Justice Department

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday that it had discovered over one million documents potentially related to the case of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

It said reviewing these documents would take several weeks before they could be released.

In a statement released on the social media platform X, the DOJ noted that the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) uncovered these documents and had transferred them to the DOJ.

It said the department's legal team is working diligently to review the documents and make necessary redactions as required by law to protect victims.

The statement said that the DOJ will release these documents as soon as possible. However, due to the sheer volume of materials, this process may take several more weeks.

The DOJ released a trove of records from Epstein-related files last week, roughly a month after the U.S. Congress approved a bill requiring their release by Dec. 19, with only narrow exceptions.

The latest action came roughly one month after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act with nearly unanimous approval, followed by unanimous approval in the Senate.

The act required the department to publish all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials in its possession related to the investigation and prosecution of Epstein by Dec. 19, with narrow exceptions for personally identifiable information of the victims and materials that could jeopardize an active federal investigation.

Epstein had close connections with many prominent American political and business figures. After being arrested on sexual offense charges, he died in prison in August 2019, in what was officially ruled a suicide.

U.S. President Donald Trump promised during his 2024 presidential campaign that if elected, he would release documents related to the Epstein case.

Over 1 mln potential files related to Epstein case uncovered: US Justice Department

American actress Zoe Saldana, who portrayed Neytiri in the Avatar film series, has shared her personal journey in performing the role for the latest film, which she describes as more emotional than the previous two installments.

"Avatar: Fire and Ash" was released in the Chinese mainland and North America on December 19, after the much-anticipated sci-fi epic had its initial Chinese premiere at the 7th Hainan Island International Film Festival in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, on December 8.

Saldana discussed the film in an interview in Hainan with China Central Television (CCTV).

"It's definitely more emotional than 'The Way of Water,' more emotional than Avatar 1. It's the Sully family, not just Jake and Neytiri. They have their children. And they just buried one child. So, they are finding themselves in a place where they are having to pick up the pieces. And they don't really know what they are going to do," she said.

The themes of loss resonated deeply with her, causing her to reflect on her own blessings, she said.

"My life, in 2017, I had all of my children. And my last child was still a baby. He was only four months old. So, getting to experience such joy and happiness in my personal life, and then coming to work to embody the skin of a woman who is absolutely devastated after losing her child was really hard, but I always felt that I had the support," said the actress.

She also praised the ambition and storytelling prowess of James Cameron, writer and director of the Avatar series.

"I do believe that James' stories, though fantastical, are still very relatable. I very much can relate a lot of themes that Jim is highlighting in his film," she said.

Avatar 3 star highlights emotional depth of blockbuster film