The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have concluded that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein did not possess a so-called “client list” implicating high-profile individuals, and that he died by suicide. The findings contradict long-standing conspiracy theories surrounding his 2019 death.
Epstein, a financier with powerful connections, was found dead in his New York jail cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death came more than a decade after his conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, which led to his registration as a sex offender.
During his 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump pledged to release Epstein-related files. However, since returning to office in January, some of Trump’s supporters have grown frustrated with what they see as a lack of progress and transparency.
The issue resurfaced earlier this year amid a public feud between Trump and former adviser Elon Musk.
A newly released two-page memo from the DOJ and FBI states that investigators found no “incriminating list” of clients and “no credible evidence” that Epstein blackmailed influential individuals.
The agencies also made public video footage they say supports the official finding that Epstein took his own life while held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York.
Despite these conclusions, speculation has continued online. Some conspiracy theorists have alleged Epstein was murdered to prevent him from implicating celebrities, politicians, and business leaders.
FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, both of whom previously questioned the official narrative, now say they accept that Epstein died by suicide.
The memo also states that investigators “did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”
The document drew backlash from some of Trump’s base. Right-wing commentator Rogan O’Handley posted on X, calling it “a shameful coverup to protect the most heinous elites.”
Others pointed to comments made earlier this year by Attorney General Pam Bondi. In a February interview on Fox News, she was asked, “The DoJ may be releasing the list of Jeffrey Epstein’s clients, will that really happen?” Bondi replied: “It’s sitting on my desk right now to review.”
On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that Bondi was referring to the broader cache of Epstein-related files, not a specific client list.
Some conservative figures have voiced disappointment with the nature of the disclosures.
After Bondi released a batch of documents, many of which had already been made public, Representative Anna Paulina Luna posted on X: “This is not what we or the American people asked for and a complete disappointment. Get us the information we asked for.”
Bondi later accused federal investigators of withholding thousands of documents and told reporters that the FBI was reviewing “tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn.” She did not provide further details.
According to the White House, some materials remain sealed due to their “incredibly graphic” content.
When asked in April about the timeline for releasing additional information, President Trump said, “I don’t know. I’ll speak to the attorney general about that. I really don’t know.”
Debate over the case reignited in June when Elon Musk, during an online clash with the president, claimed, without evidence, that Trump was mentioned in unreleased government files related to Epstein.
The White House denied the claim, and Musk later deleted the post. He subsequently acknowledged he had gone “too far” in some of his online comments about Trump.
