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The United States Department of Justice said the full release of the Jeffrey Epstein files could take a "few more weeks," once again delaying the past deadline of December 19 set by Congress, in a statement to the Associated Press.
“We will release the documents as soon as possible,” the department said. “Due to the mass volume of material, this process may take a few more weeks.”
The Justice Department said the U.S. attorney's office in Manhattan and FBI both found more than a million additional documents in relation to the Epstein case, but didn't clarify when it was informed of the new findings. The department claimed its lawyers were "working around the clock" to review the documents and make the necessary redactions in adherence with the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed by Congress and signed into law last month.
A group of alleged Epstein victims have accused the Department of Justice of legal violations, which includes the partial release of files related to the investigation into the late convicted pedophile, ABC News reported on Monday (December 22). The Justice Department released thousands of files, which included investigative documents and grand jury testimony, but delayed a full release by the set December 19 deadline.
"Instead, the public received a fraction of the files, and what we received was riddled with abnormal and extreme redactions with no explanation," a group comprised of 19 women, including two identified as Jane Does, said in a statement obtained by ABC News on Monday. "At the same time, numerous victim identities were left unredacted, causing real and immediate harm."
