The US Department of Justice is set to begin releasing files related to the late financier and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Eps-tein on Friday, following the requirements of the Eps-tein Files Transparency Act. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department plans to release several hundred thousand documents initially, with additional batches expected over the following weeks. The materials include photographs and investigative records connected to Eps-tein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell and are required by law to be published in searchable and downloadable formats.

The Eps-tein Files Transparency Act was passed by Congress in November and signed into law after a discharge petition forced a vote in the House of Representatives, which approved the release by a margin of 427 to one. The Senate subsequently approved the measure by unanimous consent. Under the law, Attorney General Pam Bondi must release all unclassified records related to Eps-tein, Maxwell, and individuals named in connection with the case by midnight Friday. The Department of Justice is permitted to withhold materials that identify victims, include child sexual abuse imagery, remain classified, or could interfere with an active federal investigation, but it must provide an unclassified explanation for any redactions.

Ahead of the deadline, Democrats on the House oversight committee released 68 photographs from Eps-tein’s estate, part of a larger collection of more than 95,000 images provided to Congress without contextual details. The released materials included photographs showing Eps-tein with public figures, redacted images of women’s passports from multiple countries, and other images linked to the estate. Lawmakers involved in drafting the legislation stated that failure to comply with the act could result in legal consequences, including contempt of Congress or impeachment proceedings, and said further documents and images may be released as oversight continues.