DOJ review finds Jeffrey Epstein had no "client list," died by suicide
The review also concluded that Epstein died by suicide while in custody at a Manhattan correctional facility in August 2019. Epstein was facing federal sex trafficking charges, and his death was subsequently investigated by the Justice Department's internal watchdog and the FBI.
The Justice Department and FBI said in their memo that video footage reviewed by bureau investigators — and made available to the public — confirmed that Epstein was locked in his cell and nobody entered tiers of the unit where he was housed at the time of his death.
Investigators also "did not uncover evidence that could predicate any investigation against uncharged third parties," according to the memo.
"This systematic review revealed no incriminating 'client list.' There was also no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions," the Justice Department and FBI said in their two-page document detailing the conclusions.
Axios was first to report the memo with the Justice Department's findings.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI leaders had pledged to release information about Epstein after President Trump returned to the White House earlier this year. Files related to Epstein's case, as well as the circumstances surrounding his death, have been the subject of conspiracy theories for years. Among the speculation about the records involving Epstein was that the federal government was concealing information to shield powerful and prominent figures who were allegedly named in them.
While Bondi suggested during a Fox News interview in February that a "client list" was sitting on her desk, the purported document never materialized.
In February, a group of 15 right-wing social media influencers went to the White House and were given binders labeled "The Epstein Files: Phase 1." The influencers said they received the binders from Bondi during a meeting that Mr. Trump, FBI Director Kash Patel and Vice President JD Vance also attended.
But any hopes of new information were quickly dashed, as the social media figures said the binders contained documents that were already in the public domain. Bondi confirmed that the first tranche of declassified files largely contained records that were leaked but had not been made public by the federal government.
Still, after Elon Musk and Mr. Trump had a falling out last month, the billionaire entrepreneur claimed that the administration had withheld the so-called Epstein files because the president was named in them. In response, Mr. Trump shared a social media post that rebuffed Musk's claim.
The president told NBC News in an interview that any alleged links between him and Epstein were "old news," and said he had not been friendly with the convicted sex offender for 18 years before his death.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration's approach to Epstein's case on Monday, telling reporters that it is "committed to truth and to transparency."
"That's why the attorney general and the FBI director pledged, at the president's direction, to do an exhaustive review of all of the files related to Jeffrey Epstein's crimes and his death, and they put out a memo in conclusion of that review," she said. "There was material they did not release, because, frankly, it was incredibly graphic and it contained child pornography, which is not something that's appropriate for public consumption. But they committed to an exhaustive investigation. That's what they did, and they provided the results of that."
When asked about the "client list" that Bondi said was on her desk, Leavitt said the attorney general was referring to "the entirety of all of the paperwork, all of the paper in relation to Jeffrey Epstein's crimes."
The FBI and Justice Department said in their memo that the review confirmed that Epstein harmed more than 1,000 victims, each of whom suffered "unique trauma."
"One of our highest priorities is combatting child exploitation and bringing justice to victims. Perpetuating unfounded theories about Epstein serves neither of those ends," the memo said.
The Justice Department and FBI added that while they have "labored to provide the public with maximum information" about Epstein and examine evidence in the government's possession, they determined that "no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted."
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CBS News
34 minutes ago
- CBS News
Trump administration efforts to distance themselves from Alligator Alcatraz get pushback
As they urge a U.S. district judge to halt an immigrant-detention center in the Everglades, environmental groups are pushing back against Trump administration arguments seeking to distance the federal government from responsibility for the project. The state last week began operating what has been dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" at a remote site surrounded by the Everglades and the Big Cypress National Preserve, as Gov. Ron DeSantis and other officials try to help President Donald Trump's mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. Lawsuit claims opening of Alligator Alcatraz violated the law Friends of the Everglades and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit last month seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to put the project on hold until legal wrangling is resolved. The environmental groups contend in the lawsuit that the facility should be halted because it threatens environmentally sensitive areas and species in the Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve. The state decided to build the facility at the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, a remote site used for flight training. In part, the lawsuit alleges federal and state agencies have violated the National Environmental Policy Act, a federal law that requires evaluating potential environmental impacts before such a project can move forward. State and federal attorneys contend that the environmental groups have not shown the project would cause "irreparable" harm to the surrounding areas. Also, they have cited the broader effort by the Trump administration and state Republican leaders to crack down on illegal immigration. Trump administration pushes back Trump administration lawyers also argued last week that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security "has not implemented, authorized, directed or funded" the Florida facility, so the pre-development impact analysis was not required. But attorneys for the environmental groups, in a document filed Thursday, said the federal government "cannot shirk" legal requirements "by passing the buck to the state; the state is bound as a partner. They should all be enjoined as a result of their undisputed failure to comply with" the law. "Defendants ignore the obvious: In performing exclusively federal functions on immigration enforcement, the state must necessarily be acting under federal control and authority at every step to build, maintain, and operate the detention center, because the state otherwise lacks the power to detain and deport individuals under federal immigration law. This project is necessarily a major federal action ... as the state cannot act in this field without federal approval or control," the groups' lawyers wrote. Critics say detention site will harm the sensitive environment The groups also disputed state and federal officials' contention that the detention center would have a minimal impact on the environment and protected species, including Florida panthers and bonneted bats, in the area. The need for an injunction "has only grown more urgent" since the lawsuit was filed on June 27, said Thursday's document, which included before-and-after photos of the site. "While the state continues to downplay the impacts of the detention center (and describe it as 'temporary'), the evidence proves otherwise: Previously unimproved sections of the site have been filled and paved; roads have been added and expanded; and the night sky over Big Cypress now glows like Yankee Stadium, visible from 15 miles away," the environmental groups' lawyers wrote. "Environmental impacts" from the detention project "will be devastating," they argued. "Defendants cannot hide from this fact - or from the public - under cover of darkness and avoid their responsibilities under federal law. An injunction should be entered to prevent further damage and maintain the status quo while this action is pending," the document said. The facility is intended to house, process and deport migrants, with National Guard troops and private contractors providing security. It has the capacity to house up to 3,000 detainees. The lawsuit is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jose Martinez. State spending millions, but who will pay for it in the end? As controversy about the detention center sparked international headlines, DeSantis, Trump and other high-ranking GOP officials embraced the attention. Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined DeSantis and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, along with other state and federal officials, to tour the facility last week. The Republican Party of Florida and a political committee linked to Uthmeier are selling "Alligator Alcatraz" merchandise. Speaking at an event Monday in Jacksonville, DeSantis said the federal government would reimburse the state for the costs of the facility, estimated at roughly $450 million in its first year of operation. "When you spend money for this, you save money (related to undocumented immigrants), because you take (away) stress of hospitals, schools, criminal justice," the governor said. "We're fronting it, but we're getting reimbursed in it." Detainees include "really bad dudes," according to DeSantis. "The reality is some of the people DHS (Department of Homeland Security) is sending there, they have committed a lot of criminal misconduct," he added. "We need to make sure that they're removed from the country." The state is spending millions of dollars on contracts with private companies to provide health services, food, security and other services at the facility. Among the vendors is GardaWorld Federal Services, an international security company that has contracts for immigration detention services with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. GardaWorld recently posted advertisements saying it was hiring security guards in Ochopee, Fla., - the location of Alligator Alcatraz - who would be paid $25 per hour and be expected to work 60 hours per week. "All personnel will be required to live on-site, and meals and housing will be provided. Flights provided!***" the ad said. 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WIRED
41 minutes ago
- WIRED
Meet the America Party, Elon Musk's Harebrained Third-Party Scheme
Jul 8, 2025 11:17 AM Elon Musk is attempting to manifest his 'America Party' into existence. But who will join him? Photo-illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty Images Elon Musk soft-launched a third party over the weekend, and so far, the billionaire seems to be manifesting his 'America Party' into existence. Hard-launching the party, which he first posted about through a poll on X, would involve filing official paperwork, such as FEC forms, and signing up to petition in individual states. Musk has not done those things yet. What Musk has done, however, is open the door for what could be the most well-funded attempt ever at launching a third-party. Following his forceful digs at President Donald Trump about the One Big Beautiful Bill reconciliation package, and his seeming breakup with the president, Musk is starting big. On X, Musk said the America Party would involve narrowly targeting eight to 10 House seats and a smaller number of Senate seats to establish a presence in Congress. But it's not really clear who, exactly, would constitute this new party, from the candidates to staff to supporters. All of it depends on who, like Musk, needs a new political home. A Home for the Weary … and Maybe the Crypto Bros Despite polling showing dissatisfaction among Americans with both parties—four in 10 voters overall and 76 percent of independents said in a June CNN poll that neither party has strong leadership or can get things done—it remains unclear whether there's a true grassroots centrist phenomenon for Musk to tap into. 'This is the attention economy,' a national strategist who has worked with minor parties says. 'You've got to get people to care.' Musk's target audience of centrists, they say, is mostly tuning out the news. In a midterm environment where the most dedicated partisan voters tend to show up, it's hard to imagine an unprecedented flood of third-party voters. However, this strategist, who also has strong ties to the crypto community, said that the coalition could combine with their overlapping Silicon Valley comrades to give this yet-to-be-formed party a boost. Cryptocurrency donors, this source noted, are beginning to feel 'jaded' about not securing many wins from the new administration despite pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into the 2024 campaign on Trump's behalf. 'Elon is famously very pro-crypto,' the independent party strategist tells me, 'and I wouldn't be shocked if he starts hammering those lanes [of crypto and the tech right], whether it's on X or ads… You've got to build a coalition. One of the problems with third party is that you haven't had enough populace or even political critical mass in terms of people and excitement.' Silicon Valley's new arrivals to the GOP also came away empty-handed on multiple fronts from Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, most notably with a 10-year ban on state-level regulation of AI falling by the wayside after Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee pulled her support, a development reported by WIRED. Musk's ability to drive attention is the best thing this fledgling third party could have going for it. 'Hatertainment and angertainment,' the strategist says, 'it's probably a good thing for a third party.' The Suspects So, if this party were to actually materialize, who would possibly represent it? A number of politicians and operatives threw out a few names to WIRED: US representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, who's drawn Trump's ire for voting against the One Big Beautiful Bill and Musk's praise for vocally opposing it. In the Senate, it could be Pennsylvania Democrat (for now) John Fetterman or even Lisa Murkowski, the Alaska Republican who proved to be the deciding vote for Trump's precious bill along with Vice President J.D. Vance as the tiebreaker. (Murkowski, notably, is already in a state with open primaries and does not have to worry about being paralyzed by a Trump-endorsed challenger in the way other Republican members fear.) A pair of Michiganders, Peter Meijer and Justin Amash, who both previously served in the House—Amash even left the GOP to become an independent then Libertarian while serving from 2019 to 2021—were also mentioned. (All of the politicians here didn't reply to WIRED's request for comment.) Andrew Yang also knows a thing or two about trying to make a third party work. He's used his outfit, dubbed The Forward Party, to get more states to change their election laws to favor open primaries and ranked choice voting. He hasn't had much success, but he's not against Musk's idea. 'There are multiple members of Congress who could be enlisted to a new party,' Yang tells WIRED in a text message. 'There's a lot of discontent within existing officeholders who are at odds with their own party. That combined with races that could be contested by independents opens up a lot of opportunities.' He personally suggested Massie and Murkowski, while agreeing Amash and Fetterman could also be potential fits. Yang did not answer WIRED's questions about whether he would join forces with Musk or if he thought the billionaire was too polarizing of a figure to lead a successful third party. In an interview with Politico on Monday, Yang said he had been in touch with Musk about the America Party. Keeping his options open like this is classic Yang, a national campaign strategist who's worked with him and been involved in other third-party efforts tells WIRED. 'One of the best parts—and probably worst parts, according to some—about Andrew's philosophy on life and building things, is like, if people want to help you, let them ,' this strategist tells me, requesting anonymity to candidly discuss Yang and Musk. 'So, he's fine working with people that some would find antithetical or even immoral to various things… I'm pretty confident he'd be happy to work with whoever, frankly.' When WIRED relayed this comment to Yang, he replied 'No comment' with a grinning emoji. The strategist also pointed to some former Trump enemies and organizations who might consider jumping on board. Among them would be alumni of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis presidential campaign, who have an established relationship with Musk. Phil Cox, one of DeSantis' top strategists and vendors in his 2024 presidential campaign, booked ample work with the billionaire's America PAC supporting Trump. This was mainly facilitated through his firm P2 Public Affairs and its supporting affiliates, referred to by industry insiders as 'the rollup.' (Included in the rollup is Blitz Canvassing, the firm responsible for the poor treatment of workers in Musk's get-out-the-vote operation, as reported by WIRED.) WIRED reached out to all of the politicians mentioned and did not get a comment. Cox did not reply to a request for comment. A source familiar with Cox's thinking tells WIRED in a text message that the relationship between Cox and Musk will not continue with the America Party. 'There's not a shot in hell Phil would work for a third party. He's dedicated his life to electing Republicans and supports Trump 100%.' On Monday, DeSantis brought up Musk's third party, unprompted. DeSantis suggested Musk's new party would have 'a monumental impact'—if he focused on a balanced budget amendment to the constitution, and later another amendment on congressional term limits—but could also throw races to the Democrats. 'Look, I'm a Republican,' he said. 'You know, I don't wanna see that happen.' In a statement to WIRED, Molly Best, DeSantis' deputy press secretary, claimed he could not have brought up Musk unprompted because other people had previously been asking him about the third-party venture. Best also said I was being 'purposefully obtuse' in my characterization of the governor's remarks on the America Party as "unprompted.' In the interest of the reader, and in defense against flacks trying to say words have completely fungible definitions, here is how DeSantis chose to introduce the topic: 'And the final thing I'll say is, I've been getting asked about this idea of this Elon Musk political party, and I just wanted to say that Elon Musk has been one of the most innovative entrepreneurs not just in our country's history, but probably in world history, and I think he's done a lot, he's got a lot more left in the tank, obviously.' DeSantis would go on to chastise Congress for not codifying more cuts from Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency and being reckless with the national debt. The other plausible shop, the independent strategist suggested, is Tusk Strategies, a firm stocked with alumni of former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration, which also worked on Yang's mayoral campaigns and has ties to the Eric Adams administration. Bradley Tusk, the firm's founder, says that he's skeptical of Musk's efforts so far. Tusk tells me in an email that unless Musk can 'demonstrate a real vision and agenda' without saying and doing 'crazy things that repel the people and candidates you need, then I don't think anyone good would work for him on this unless they only care about the money (which some people do but most people who get into politics did so because they have some genuine beliefs and interests in policy too).' Otherwise, it will likely be slim pickings for Musk. 'Staffing is one of your biggest challenges. Who works on these campaigns?' the strategist tells me. 'Generally, it's political consultants.' For younger staffers, it's an even bigger challenge when it comes to how one weighs the reputational risk of stepping out against their own party. 'If you wanna be a comms director, if you wanna be the next David Axelrod, it's better to work for the party,' the strategist says, recalling struggles the Dean Phillips 2024 presidential campaign had with securing quality vendors and consultants because of fears they would lose out on major Democratic clients. A Quick History Lesson In typical Johnny-come-lately fashion from Musk, his certainty around the strength of his new party ignores the pile of failed third parties littered across US history. It's been Democrats versus Republicans for quite some time: the top five minor parties in the country, combined, still can't even crack one or two percent of registered voters on their rolls. The best case scenario for Musk could be something akin to Ross Perot's Reform Party. Perot made his biggest splash in the 1992 presidential election, where won 18.9 percent of the popular vote as an independent. He also won 8.4 percent of the popular vote in 1996. However, despite the Reform Party gaining ballot access in all 50 states that year—something Musk isn't even shooting for, at least not yet—it failed to get any candidates elected to Congress. This historical pattern is part of what has Democrats feeling absolutely fine with whatever Musk chooses to do. 'I hope Elon Musk mounts the most successful creation of a third party in political history,' Democratic pollster Evan Roth Smith tells WIRED, 'and that it lasts exactly 18 months.' A third party like Musk's, other pollsters believe, would take away more support from Republicans than Democrats. The stock market also provides some reason for optimism on the left. 'I think it's overrated,' says a Democratic strategist who requested anonymity to avoid entangling other clients. Musk's role at Tesla, they say, is the main reason they think he won't follow through with much. After his initial promise to step away from politics, going to war with Trump and the entire GOP by leading a third party is the last thing his company's board and shareholders want to see right now. 'And at some point,' the strategist adds, 'they will take the keys away from him.' The Chatroom Among the steps Musk hasn't taken to make his proposed party a reality is registering a trademark for it. WIRED's Tim Marchman spoke with Thomas Kuracina, a Nevada inventor who did so July 5—the same day Musk announced the America Party's formation. 'My goal is to work with them because they didn't file it,' says Kuracina. 'I reserved it for them. I can assign it to them. I can have them file it and I can abandon mine. There are many ways that they can obtain it. I'm not out to extort them.' What Kuracina wants is a seat at the table. Lamenting the influence of billionaires and the effects of the Supreme Court's 2010 decision in Citizens United vs. FEC on US politics, he proposes that the America Party should call for a two-week primary and two-week general election that would be held online. His other proposals involve hiring large numbers of patent examiners and doing away with pork and the presidential pardon; he also supports the impeachment of President Donald Trump. He believes that Mark Cuban would be a better face for the project than Musk, who he says is too compromised from his time with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. 'Mr. Musk is not a popular guy. You don't hacksaw, you don't chainsaw change,' says Kuracina. 'His theatrics were not very good. That was not a good representation of who we want.' Experts tell WIRED that if applicants for America Party-related trademarks like Kuracina aren't actually using, or demonstrating an intent to use, the marks for commerce, it will be difficult to secure the rights to them. Kuracina, who says he hasn't heard from Musk or anyone representing him, tells WIRED that he has no plans to use the mark 'at this point in time.' (A New Jersey man who applied to register The America Party for use on hats and t-shirts for babies, children, and adults the day after Musk's announcement did not reply to WIRED's request for comment.) Simply registering doesn't mean someone will be granted a trademark. ('A lot of people think that if you just slap something on a T-shirt, that counts as trademark use and you can get a registration for that,' says Rachael Dickson, senior trademark counsel at Lloyd & Mousilli. 'That's generally not true.') Outside the context of direct negotiations, though, opportunities to dispute Kuracina's right to the trademark won't come up for months dating from the time of the application, meaning that Musk's right to use his brainchild for marketing purposes could remain unclear for some time to come. Anthony Lupo, listed as attorney of record on trademark paperwork for Tesla, tells WIRED he can't comment. Have any ideas for a fourth party? Leave a comment on the site or send your thoughts to mail@ WIRED Reads Want more? Subscribe now for unlimited access to WIRED. What Else We're Reading 🔗 MAGA World's Mega Meltdown Over Latest Epstein Flop: Elon Musk keeps bringing up the Jeffrey Epstein client list, which the DOJ now insists doesn't exist. The online right has had enough, and they want Pam Bondi out as AG. (The Bulwark) 🔗 'But We're Touching Medicaid in This Bill': In another glimpse at the president not always knowing what's going on with his own administration's priorities, he appeared unaware in a meeting with House Republicans that the Big Beautiful Bill would cut Medicaid. (NOTUS) 🔗 Top Trump Adviser Sergio Gor Was Born in the Soviet Union: White House Personnel Director Sergio Gor's lawyer confirms he was born in Uzbekistan back when it was part of the Soviet Union, not in Malta, after previously declining to say where he was born. (Times of Malta, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project) The Download Our flagship show Uncanny Valley, guest hosted by senior politics editor Leah Feiger and featuring investigative data reporter Dhruv Mehrotra, dives deeper into WIRED's recent reporting on the 911 calls from inside ICE detention facilities. Listen now. Thanks again for subscribing. You can find me on Bluesky or on Signal at Leak2Lahut.26.
CNN
42 minutes ago
- CNN
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' spokesperson says he was met with a standing ovation at jail after verdict
Sean 'Diddy' Combs received a standing ovation when he returned to the Metropolitan Detention Center after the verdict in his federal criminal trial last week, according to his spokesperson. Combs was acquitted of the more serious charges of which he was accused – racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. A virtual hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET for attorneys and the judge in the case to discuss a request to expedite his sentencing. He faces 10 years in prison on each count, though legal analysts predict he will get much less. The music mogul has been in custody at a federal detention center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September. During a bail hearing that followed the verdict last Wednesday, Combs' lawyers requested he be released on bail, arguing that he was not convicted of any violent offenses. The judge denied the request to release Combs on bail, telling defense attorney Marc Agnifilo that in his closing arguments he 'full-throatedly … told the jury that there was violence here. And domestic violence is violence. And you said this is a case that did involve violence.' At the time, Judge Arun Subramanian proposed an initial sentencing date for October 3. Prosecutors accused Combs of leading a criminal enterprise in which he allegedly used threats, violence, forced labor, bribery and other crimes to coerce his former girlfriends Cassie Ventura and a woman who testified under a pseudonym Jane to engage in drug-fueled sex performances with male escorts called 'Freak Offs' or 'hotel nights.' Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyers argued the so-called 'Freak Offs' were consensual given his long-term relationships with both Ventura and Jane. Combs also faces dozens of civil lawsuits, for which he has denied all wrongdoing.
