FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2025 – UPDATED 7:17 PM EST
For media inquiries, interviews, or additional information, please contact:
Hailey Sussman
332-228-2344
[email protected]
Today, the United States Justice Department is expected to release the highly anticipated files on Jeffrey Epstein, making public a detailed look at the government’s decades-long investigation into Epstein’s ongoing sexual abuse of young women and girls.
The long-awaited release of the Epstein files represents a watershed moment in the fight for justice and accountability, especially as some of the world’s most powerful figures have sought to keep the files sealed. For nearly three decades, survivors and advocates have demanded transparency and acknowledgement of ongoing failures on the part of U.S. law enforcement. The Justice Department’s disclosure of the Epstein files signifies a critical step toward exposing systemic negligence and getting justice for survivors.
Maria Farmer, a Marsh Law Firm client and one of the earliest whistleblowers in the case, shared her courageous statement:
“This is a moment for which I have waited three decades, over half of my life. When I was ignored and hung up on by the FBI in 1996, my world turned upside down, and I felt frozen in time. I faced death threats, ridicule, and mockery by some of the most powerful people on earth. When my FBI reports are finally made available, I am hopeful that I will be able to pick up where I left off at age 26. I am also hopeful that this will be an important step for many of the survivors and to hold the government accountable for their grotesque law enforcement failure, one of the largest in U.S. history.”
Leading Marsh Law Firm attorney advocate Jennifer Freeman noted the institutional magnitude of this moment: “The release of the files is a momentous and essential step in achieving transparency, accountability, and the restoration of public trust in institutions.”
Marsh Law Firm partner Helene Weiss, speaking publicly today, emphasized the significance of the FBI’s lack of action in 1996: “If the FBI had acted, they could have saved thousands of victims and nearly 30 years of trauma. What we’re seeing today is, finally, the accountability that victims have been seeking for nearly three decades.”
The United States Justice Department is expected to release several hundred thousand documents today; however, it is unclear when the files will be published in full, and delays are anticipated.
UPDATED 7:17 PM EST – Maria Farmer’s 1996 FBI Report Released Today
Early Warning That Was Ignored
As detailed in her May 29, 2025 lawsuit, in August 1996, Maria reported to the FBI that Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell had sexually assaulted her, were operating a child trafficking ring, and were producing and possessing child pornography (CSAM). She specifically told the FBI about:
- Explicit images of children she observed at Epstein’s home;
- A “modeling book” of child pornography that was kept in Epstein’s safe;
- Epstein’s theft and interstate transportation of nude images of her minor sisters;
- Her belief that Epstein and Maxwell were continuing to hurt children
FBI’s Complete Failure to Act
According to her complaint, the FBI agent “hung up on her” mid-sentence and made no effort to follow up. The FBI violated mandatory reporting obligations and failed to investigate despite the severity of her allegations.
Devastating Consequences
This document proves that if the FBI had simply done its job in 1996, Epstein’s decades-long sex trafficking operation could have been stopped at the outset. Instead, the FBI’s negligence allowed Epstein to continue abusing hundreds of girls and young women for nearly 25 more years.
Core of the Legal Case
This 1996 report is the foundation of Maria’s negligence claim – it establishes that the FBI had actual knowledge of ongoing serious crimes against children and violated mandatory federal policies by failing to investigate. It’s the “Patient Zero” moment that demonstrates the government’s failures from the very beginning, making it central to proving the FBI’s liability for all the harm that followed.
Maria’s Reaction to the Release of this Critical FBI Report
“This is amazing. Thank you for believing me. I feel redeemed. This is one of the best days of my life. Of course, it’s mixed with the fact that I’m devastated about all the other little girls like Virginia who were harmed because the FBI didn’t do their job. I’m crying for two reasons. I want everyone to know that I am shedding tears of joy for myself, but also tears of sorrow for all the other victims that the FBI failed.”
About Marsh Law Firm
For over twenty years, Marsh Law Firm has represented survivors of sexual abuse and discrimination. Survivor-focused, trauma-informed, and justice-oriented, Marsh Law Firm advocates both in and out of the courtroom to secure justice and hold perpetrators and the institutions that enable abuse accountable.
Headquartered in New York City, Marsh Law Firm has a robust legal practice both in the United States and worldwide. The firm’s attorneys have substantial experience handling claims involving childhood sexual abuse, including claims against the Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts, and other institutions, adult sexual abuse, as well as online sexual exploitation and child sex abuse material (CSAM), achieving accountability for countless victims.
