A set of private communications, made public on Wednesday, contains direct claims that a former U.S. president was aware of the illicit activities of the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein years before they became a major public scandal.
The released materials include a 2011 message in which Epstein, now deceased, asserted that the former president had spent extended time at his residence alongside a young woman who was a victim of his trafficking operation. In the correspondence, Epstein is quoted as stating the individual was fully aware of the situation involving the underage girls.
A separate communication from the same period indicates the former president had requested Epstein dissociate from a private Florida club. In response, Epstein contended he was never a member and reiterated the claim of the individual’s awareness, suggesting the request for distance was related to the criminal activity.
These documents were released by congressional investigators, who argue they intensify pressure on current officials to authorize the full disclosure of all sealed records pertaining to the Epstein case. They contend the administration is obstructing transparency regarding the extent of the relationship between the financier and the political figure.
The former president has repeatedly denied any prior knowledge of Epstein’s crimes. Epstein was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges when he died in a federal detention center in 2019. His longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence for her role in the conspiracy.
In a statement accompanying the document release, a senior congressional investigator accused the administration of engaging in a cover-up. “The persistent effort to conceal these files only leads to further revelations,” the statement read. “This correspondence prompts serious questions about what remains hidden and the true nature of this association.”