The Department of Justice failed to take down more than a dozen problematic images released from the Jeffrey Epstein files, including nude photos and identifying details from passports and drivers licenses.
CNN worked with Israeli software firm Visual Layer to analyze tens of thousands of photos released by the DOJ and found more than 100 explicit photos that show what appears to be naked teenagers and other images that should have been redacted, and some of those lingered online for weeks.
"We found more than a dozenphotos that definitely shouldhave been redacted but weren'tand remained on the public DOJsite for nearly a month," said CNN's Marshall Cohen. "Now,I'm about to show you some ofthese pictures, but keep in mindCNN blurred the versions thatyou're going to see, but theywere available fully unredactedon the DOJ site for weeks. Sothere were pictures of a younggirl kissing Jeffrey Epstein onthe cheek [and] there were alsonon-sexual but unredacted imagesof other young children andtoddlers who are obviouslyminors and should have beenredacted, and also there wereseveral pictures of passportsand driver's licenses revealingprivate data like ID numbers,addresses and dates of birth."
Those images were all taken down and replaced with properly redacted versions after CNN contacted the DOJ, and spokesperson said the federal agency was working around the clock to address victim concerns in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, but Cohen said that was not previously the case.
"This is where the story takesan even darker turn," Cohen said. "It'sincredibly disturbing because wefound also, in addition toeverything I just described,more than 100 sexually explicitphotos that the DOJ actuallyposted online last month now,they did take these down prettyquickly, and some of them werereplaced with redacted versions,which is what we're about toshow you on your screen therewere dozens of photos showingwhat appeared to be two nakedteenagers on a beach. There werealso multiple uncensored nudeselfies and at least one imageshowing Epstein with anundressed female."
"Now, we spoketo legal experts and advocatesfor survivors of sexual abuse," he added. "Everyone is stunned that theseimages made it through theDOJ's review, especiallybecause top officials wereadamant that they redacted everysingle woman in the Epsteinfiles. Advocates said thissituation could retraumatize thevictims, and even though the DOJdid take down the explicitphotos, we all know it'sbasically impossible to trulydelete something from theinternet after it's posted."