Epstein Survivors Sue DOJ, Google Over Release of Private Information

A group of Epstein survivors filed a class action lawsuit against the Trump administration and Google today over the disclosure of personal information found in the release of files related to the late sex offender. The suit seeks at least $1,000 per survivor from the DOJ and a court order for Google to immediately and permanently take down their personal information.

Lawyers representing more than 200 alleged Epstein victims say they reported "thousands of redaction failures on behalf of nearly 100 individual survivors whose lives have been turned upside down by the DOJ's latest release." They cited examples of FBI documents with full names left unredacted, including those of victims who were minors at the time of their exploitation. Other victims had their names, bank information, and addresses posted without redaction. The complaint argues the "DOJ opened the door by unlawfully disclosing victim-identifying information, and Google is holding that door wide open, even after being warned about the damage it's causing."

At least one victim, Haley Robson, had already raised the alarm in a letter to a federal judge, questioning why victim interview reports and other documents had not been published with names redacted. "As survivors, this failure is not merely procedural, it is deeply personal," Robson wrote. "Continued noncompliance perpetuates the same secrecy that allowed these crimes to continue unchecked for years."

The survivors said Google has the technological capability to remove content in response to legal requests about sensitive personal information, and that "Google's refusal to use such tools in this case shows its conduct is reckless."

The lawsuit unfolded against a backdrop of mounting questions in Congress about whether the DOJ's release of the Epstein files was complete. "We have a survivor that made serious allegations against the president," Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, told CNN. "But there's a series of documents, and it would appear to be possible interviews, that the FBI conducted with the survivor that are actually missing, that we don't have access to."

A CNN review found that dozens of FBI witness interviews from the Epstein investigation appear missing from the massive trove of files released by the DOJ, with an evidence log provided to attorneys for Ghislaine Maxwell including serial numbers for about 325 FBI witness interview records, but more than 90 of those records do not appear to be present on the DOJ website. Among those missing records are three interviews related to a woman who told agents that Epstein had repeatedly abused her starting when she was approximately 13 years old, and who also accused Trump of sexually assaulting her. One of the plaintiffs in a related case against the Epstein estate, identified as "Jane Doe 4," describes Epstein abusing her in South Carolina after she offered babysitting services.

Garcia stated that the DOJ withheld and removed some Epstein files related to allegations that President Donald Trump sexually abused a minor, characterizing the omissions as a violation of both the Oversight Committee's subpoena and the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The White House called the allegations against Trump "false and sensationalist" and pointed to a previous DOJ statement that "some of the documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims against President Trump." Trump has consistently denied wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

The Justice Department said it was "continuously evaluating its processes and making further enhancements as necessary" to address victims' concerns while complying with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which President Trump signed into law in November. A DOJ spokesperson denied that any Epstein records had been deleted and stressed that the department was following the law.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress in November 2025, requires the DOJ to release flight logs, travel and financial records, communications with individuals, and other information related to Epstein. Epstein, the wealthy financier, died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting his sex trafficking trial. No court rulings or responses from Google had been issued at the time the lawsuit was filed.