The Justice Department has granted lawmakers access to unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files, escalating congressional scrutiny of the late financier's sex trafficking network. Attorney General Pam Bondi authorized the move following mounting pressure from Republican-led committees investigating how Epstein operated for years while maintaining connections to powerful figures. The development comes as former Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment rights during a congressional deposition.

Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, declined to answer questions about her role in Epstein's abuse of underage girls during a video call from a Texas federal prison. The deposition was part of broader congressional efforts to examine Epstein's relationships with influential individuals and potential systemic failures in law enforcement investigations. Republican Rep. James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, has been pressing for testimony from former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regarding their connections to Epstein.

Despite years of FBI investigation, internal Justice Department records reveal investigators found limited evidence that Epstein ran a trafficking ring serving powerful men. While agents confirmed Epstein sexually abused underage girls, bank records and seized materials failed to implicate other prominent figures in criminal activity. The unredacted files may provide new insights into the scope of Epstein's operations and any potential co-conspirators who escaped prosecution.