GAO agrees to review Justice Department's handling of Epstein files

The Government Accountability Office, an independent watchdog agency, will examine how the Justice Department handled the release of Jeffrey Epstein files. The review focuses on the department's process for collecting, reviewing, and blocking out sensitive information before making the documents public.

The Justice Department was required by law to release millions of pages of investigative material related to Epstein, the financier who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Problems emerged after the files became public. Epstein survivors complained that their personal information was not properly protected in the released documents. The Justice Department's own inspector general is also conducting a separate audit of the file release process.

The GAO review will look at the department's compliance with the law that mandated the release and how officials addressed concerns that came up afterward.