Lisa Bryant, director of the acclaimed 2020 Netflix docuseries Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, has renewed her call for accountability amid the disappointing partial release of Epstein files by the Department of Justice on December 19, 2025. In a statement to media outlets, Bryant expressed deep frustration, saying the heavily redacted and incomplete disclosure represents yet another betrayal for the brave survivors who shared their stories in her film.
Bryant’s four-part series, based on James Patterson’s book, centered the voices of Epstein’s victims, detailing how the financier used wealth and connections to exploit underage girls for decades. Featuring interviews with survivors like Virginia Giuffre and Maria Farmer, the documentary exposed the systemic failures that allowed Epstein’s crimes to continue unchecked. “These women risked everything to speak out,” Bryant said. “They were promised transparency through the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed by President Trump himself. Instead, we’re seeing deletions, redactions, and delays that protect the powerful while denying justice to victims.”
The DOJ’s release included thousands of pages and photos but withheld far more, with key documents—like FBI victim interviews and memos on Epstein’s 2008 plea deal—missing or blacked out. At least 16 files vanished from the online portal shortly after upload, sparking bipartisan accusations of a cover-up. Bryant called this “outrageous,” echoing survivors’ sentiments: “It’s triggering and validating at once—they’ve been saying for years that the system shields elites, and this proves it.”
Bryant highlighted how her series aimed to amplify survivors’ trauma without sensationalism, focusing on their resilience. Yet, five years later, little has changed. “Epstein died without facing full trial, Maxwell’s appeals drag on, and now this trickle of files buries the truth,” she noted. Victims’ advocates, including those featured in the documentary, feel “let down again,” with partial revelations offering no closure.
As bipartisan lawmakers threaten impeachment against Attorney General Pam Bondi and demand unredacted releases, Bryant urged renewed focus on survivors: “Their pain isn’t a political hoax—it’s real. We owe them the full truth and real justice, not more waiting in vain.” With ongoing probes and potential future tranches, Bryant hopes pressure will force accountability, ensuring Epstein’s network faces consequences at last.
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