By
Ava Berger
A document that was included in the U.S. Department of Justice release of the Jeffrey Epstein files shows a diagram prepared by the FBI attempting to chart the network of Epstein's victims and the timeline of their alleged abuse.Jon Elswick/APhide caption
In themore than two monthssince the Department of Justice released its latest batch of files on the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, prosecutors have not brought any new charges based on the documents, despite federal lawmakers on both sides of the aislecontinuing to demand accountability.
The more than 3 million pages of documents include accusations by alleged victims of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's abuse and thousands of emails and photos showing Epstein associated with prominent figures. The files indicate that many of these people maintained contact with the disgraced financier long after hepleaded guilty in 2008to sex crimes that involved minors. Appearing in the files is not necessarily an indication of criminal wrongdoing.
The release of the Epstein files came after Congress passed theEpstein Files Transparency Act, which forced the Justice Department to make public all documents it held related to Epstein.
Epstein died in prisonabout a monthafter a 2019 arreston sex-trafficking charges. Maxwell was convicted on sex-trafficking charges in 2021 and isserving a 20-year sentence. Since the release of the files in 2025 and 2026, there have been no related arrests in the U.S. However, the disclosures have led tosome resignationsand otherreputational repercussionsfor some high-ranking Americans.
The lack of arrests in the U.S. contrasts to the fallout in the U.K., where investigators have pursued charges related to corruption, not sexual abuse, in their dealings with Epstein.Two former government officials— former Prince Andrew andex-ambassador Peter Mandelson— were arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as he is now known, has denied wrongdoing and has not been formally charged. Mandelson has also not been charged, andlawyers for Mandelson have saidthat the arrest was prompted by a "baseless suggestion."
In the U.S., top Justice Department officials have said thatthey found no evidence compelling enoughto pursue further charges related to Epstein, and that the public can make their own assessments based on the disclosed documents.
In a statement to NPR, Justice Department spokesperson Katie Kenlein said that "there have not been additional prosecutions beyond Epstein and Maxwell because there has not been credible evidence that their activities extended to Epstein's network. However, if prosecutable evidence comes forward, the Department of Justice will of course act on it as we do every day in sexual trafficking and assault cases across the count[r]y."
On Thursday, President Trump announced thatAttorney General Pam Bondi is outof the top job at the Justice Department, following bipartisan criticism over her handling of the Epstein files.
NPR asked four former prosecutors and one former law enforcement officer why there may not have been enough evidence to levy additional charges. Here's what they said.
Prosecutors must prove to a jury that a person committed a crime "beyond a reasonable doubt," according to Barbara McQuade, a professor at the University of Michigan Law School.
"One of the biggest misconceptions people have is how difficult it is to charge and convict somebody for a criminal case," said McQuade, who served as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Aprosecutor's ethical responsibilityis to charge cases only if they believe there is enough evidence for a conviction, McQuade said. Documents, including emails, jokes, and even plane itineraries, can be a place to start, but, alone, they are not enough to prove guilt, McQuade said.
