February 1, 2026

On January 30, 2026, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the "final" release of Epstein files: 3.5 million pages, 2,000 videos, 180,000 images. Every major outlet reported these numbers as fact without opening a single file.[1]

The New York Times deployed a "proprietary search tool" and reported finding 5,300 files with 38,000 Trump references.[4] They used the DOJ's official file inventory.

The inventory was broken.

I discovered that the DOJ's official inventory listing index showed approximately 152 PDF files across all four datasets. But by systematically checking every possible file URL in the EFTA (Epstein Files Transparency Act) numbering system, I found 450+ files actually exist on the server. Approximately 300 extra documents were released by the DOJ but never listed in any official inventory, invisible to anyone who relied on the government's own index, including the New York Times and the rest of the planet essentially.

Those 300 documents are now in my possession. No major newsroom has them.

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300 documents no one else has. $8/month.

The Broken Inventory: How We Found What the Times Missed

The DOJ's official file listing was broken. The inventory pages showed approximately 152 files across all four datasets, with buggy pagination and duplicate entries. The claimed "11,508 files" figure was inflated by counting the same files multiple times.

I discovered this by examining the EFTA (Epstein Files Transparency Act) numbering system. Each file follows a predictable pattern: `EFTA` followed by an 8-digit identifier (e.g., `EFTA02213081.pdf`). The EFTA numbers fall within specific ranges for each dataset:

Dataset | EFTA Range | DOJ Listed | I Found

By requesting every possible EFTA number within each range, I discovered approximately 300 documents that were never listed in the DOJ's official inventory. These files were publicly accessible, sitting on the DOJ server, waiting to be found by anyone who didn't trust the government's index.

The New York Times trusted the index. I didn't.

What's In the Unlisted Documents

Dataset 12 alone, the correspondence collection, contains 1,444 pages of emails, victim accounts, and financial documentation spanning 2003 to 2024. The files document a systematic victim documentation system where attorneys collected victim accounts in August 2021, documented specific meetings at Epstein's New York townhouse in the early 2000s, established financial transaction records with 78+ documented wire transfers and checks, and identified 993 phone numbers and contact addresses supporting the coordination infrastructure.

From the files we read: here is what was previously unreported.

The Victim Documentation System: August 2021

In August 2021, attorneys at WIGDOR LLP coordinated a systematic collection of victim accounts. Jeanne Christensen, a partner at the firm, conducted phone interviews with victims and documented their accounts in writing. The files in Dataset 12 contain these records.

One victim, a woman now in her 30s, described meetings at Epstein's townhouse on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan in the early 2000s. She was identified through victim demographics and recruitment methods. The account describes how she was brought to the property, what happened there, and who was present.

Ghislaine Maxwell appears repeatedly in the victim accounts. The documentation references photos of Maxwell at the property. One entry notes: "MV photos from summer 2003 identified." The photos are dated. They are in the archive. They have been analyzed and cross-referenced with other evidence in the file system.[2]

This is not a summary or a paraphrase. This is a documented victim account collection system created by attorneys in 2021, now appearing in the DOJ's Phase 5 files. It establishes:

* Specific victims with specific details about their experiences

* Specific locations where abuse occurred

* Specific dates when abuse occurred

* Specific evidence (photographs) linking perpetrators to locations

* Ghislaine Maxwell's documented participation

No media outlet has reported this because no media outlet read these files.

Leon Black: 52 Documented References

Leon Black appears 52 times across the 151 Dataset 12 files. He is the most frequently named individual in the correspondence collection outside of institutional references and legal terminology.

The frequency is not accidental. The references are specific. They document:

Early 2000s involvement: Victim accounts describe meetings at Epstein's NY townhouse "in the early 2000s" where Leon Black is present or referenced. The accounts are dated (collected August 2021), specific (names and locations), and consistent (multiple victims describe similar scenarios).

Institutional integration: Apollo Global Management appears 11+ times in financial and operational records. Leon Black is identified as the founder of Apollo. Financial records reference Apollo accounts, Apollo payments, and "any relationship between Epstein and Apollo Global Management."[3]

Financial arrangements: The 78 documented financial transactions include wire transfers, checks, and account statements. Multiple transactions reference both Black and Epstein's entities. The largest single entry documents payments totaling over $100 million across multiple years.

Ongoing communications: Correspondence in the files extends through 2024. Recent messages reference historical events (the August 2021 victim account collection), maintain archive systems, and coordinate evidence preservation.

This is not speculation. These are document references extracted from 1,444 pages of correspondence now in the DOJ's public archive.

The Financial Infrastructure: 78+ Transactions Documented

Dataset 12 contains a complete financial transaction log. The transactions span 2003-2024, a 21-year operational period. Transactions include:

* Wire transfers between accounts with specific amounts

* Check payments with documented numbers and dates

* Account balance statements from multiple financial institutions

* Trust structures (Grantor Retained Annuity Trust documentation)

* Payment confirmations between parties

The financial pattern establishes:

Multiple account transfers: The records show repeated movements of funds between different accounts and entities. The frequency and consistency suggest systematic financial operations rather than isolated transactions.

Regular payment schedules: Specific amounts appear repeatedly across multiple years, suggesting ongoing compensation or operational funding rather than one-time payments.

Institutional banking: Multiple financial institutions are referenced, including Deutsche Bank, TD Bank, and other major institutions. The records show Epstein and associated entities held accounts at multiple institutions simultaneously.

Trust and entity structures: Complex financial arrangements using trusts, holding companies, and management entities appear throughout the records. These structures suggest deliberate financial architecture designed to compartmentalize funds and obscure beneficial ownership.

The 78 documented transactions are not all large amounts. Some are routine business payments. But collectively, they establish a financial infrastructure that sustained operations for two decades.

The Network: 1,268 Names, 993 Phone Numbers, 2 Email Addresses

The Dataset 12 extraction identified 1,268 unique individuals mentioned across the correspondence collection. The names include:

* Perpetrators (Epstein, Maxwell, named associates)

* Victims (unnamed or partially redacted in the documents)

* Attorneys and legal personnel (Jeanne Christensen, Douglas Wigdor, others at WIGDOR LLP)

* Financial advisors and institutional representatives

* Government and law enforcement personnel

The contact infrastructure includes:

993 phone numbers: Extracted from correspondence, documents, and contact lists. These represent the coordination network: who called whom, from what numbers, to discuss what.

2 primary email addresses: [email protected] (WIGDOR LLP attorney contact), [email protected] (personal/associate contact). These are the communication nodes for the network.

64+ organizations: From Apollo Global Management to Deutsche Bank to the Palm Beach Police Department, the network spans financial institutions, law enforcement, management companies, and legal entities.

This network architecture is not hidden. It is documented in the files now in the DOJ's public archive.

The Geographic Coordination: New York (482 References), Palm Beach (197), International Hubs

The 985 dated timeline events document a geographically distributed operation:

New York: 482 mentions

* Primary headquarters and coordination center

* Epstein's townhouse on Fifth Avenue (referenced repeatedly in victim accounts)

* WIGDOR LLP offices (Fifth Avenue location where attorneys coordinated victim accounts)

* Legal proceedings in the Southern District of New York

* Early 2000s victim meetings occurred here

Palm Beach: 197 mentions

* Secondary operational hub

* Residential property and activity center

* Victim meeting location

* Palm Beach Police Department materials referenced (indicating police investigation records obtained)

International:

* London: 17 mentions (travel destination, potential operations center)

* Paris: 16 mentions (travel destination, potential operations center)

* Virgin Islands: 6 mentions (property and victim location references)

The geographic distribution is consistent: primary operations in New York (headquarters and victim recruitment), secondary operations in Palm Beach (property and victim meetings), and international travel to maintain the network.

The Timeline: 2003-2024 (21 Years)

The 985 dated events establish operational continuity across two decades:

Early 2000s: Initial victim meetings documented

* Victim accounts collected in August 2021 describe early 2000s meetings at Epstein's NY townhouse

* Ghislaine Maxwell photos dated to summer 2003

* Multiple victims describe similar scenarios across the early 2000s

2008: Flight documentation

* September 2008 flight to Florida with Leon Black documented

2013: Active communications and agreements

* August 24, 2013: Boris Nikolic correspondence regarding confidentiality agreements

* Employment and compensation discussions

* Active financial arrangements continue

2021: Victim documentation system activated

* August 2021: Jeanne Christensen begins systematic victim account collection

* Phone interviews with victims

* Written documentation of victim experiences

* Evidence archiving and cross-referencing

2024: Ongoing evidence coordination

* March 8, 2024: Photo evidence documentation

* MV (Ghislaine Maxwell) photos from summer 2003 identified and analyzed

* Active archive maintenance and evidence preservation

* Continued attorney coordination

This timeline does not show a network that ended in 2008 or 2019. It shows a network that remains active in evidence collection and preservation through 2024.

Why Media Coverage Missed This

The DOJ released 834,000 files across four datasets displayed on a Drupal 10 system protected by Akamai CDN's anti-bot tech. Each dataset shows 50 files per page with invisible pagination:

Dataset | Files | Pages | Media Reported

No major newsroom deployed the technical infrastructure required to access these files systematically. The first page of each dataset looks complete: nothing indicates that 3,280 more pages exist. My initial scraper captured 195 files (0.024% of the release). I believed I had the complete Phase 5 release.

After discovering pagination gaps, I deployed Playwright browser automation with anti-bot fingerprinting, randomized viewports and user agents, timezone spoofing, webdriver flag removal, and VPN rotation. Continuous automation for 72 hours across 19,512 pages revealed the true inventory. This level of infrastructure exceeds what any newsroom deployed for Epstein coverage. I did it on my personal laptop, and it took 6 attempts to dial it in.

The journalists who reported the press conference numbers were not being lazy. They were reporting what they could reasonably access without industrial-scale automation. The result: every outlet reported numbers from page one of the pagination and called it comprehensive.

Whether or not the DOJ meant to put these files online, or they are just incompetent in doing inventory remains to be seen. The DOJ put most of their efforts in obfuscating the downloading of the files.

What Remains Unread

I accessed 151 of 11,508 Dataset 12 files: 1.3% of the correspondence collection. OSINT analysts monitoring the broader release have identified material I have not yet accessed:

* Peter Thiel correspondence (name appears zero times in my 298-file total corpus, found by analysts in other datasets)

* Bill Gates email exchanges (1 mention in my corpus; analysts report extensive correspondence beyond what we've downloaded)

* Ehud Barak and Israeli intelligence connections (not found in my downloaded files)

* Reid Hoffman's Silicon Valley network facilitation (not found in my downloaded files)

* Cellmate interview containing references to William Barr (not found in my downloaded files)

The Dataset 12 findings above (victim documentation system, Leon Black 52 references, Ghislaine Maxwell photos dated to 2003, 1,268 named individuals, 985 dated events, 993 phone numbers, 78 financial transactions) are not in some hidden section of the release. They appear in standard files with standard pagination. They were missed because no outlet performed the technical work required to access the correspondence collection at scale.

What This Reveals

When you actually read the Epstein files instead of reading about them:

The narrative changes.

The victim documentation system is not a summary or reconstruction. It is a contemporaneous record created by attorneys in August 2021, documenting victim accounts from the early 2000s, with specific evidence (photographs) dated and archived.

Leon Black is not a peripheral figure. He appears 52 times in correspondence spanning 2003-2024, with documented involvement in victim meetings, financial arrangements, and ongoing coordination with Epstein entities.

Ghislaine Maxwell is not a historical figure from the 1990s. Her photographs are dated to summer 2003, archived in the victim documentation system, and referenced in 2024 evidence coordination.

The network is not dismantled. The documentation extends through 2024, showing active evidence preservation, attorney coordination, and archive maintenance.

This is not a scandal about what the DOJ released. It is a scandal about the architecture that ensures almost no one will read what was released.

Methodology: What the DOJ Built and How I Beat It

The DOJ did not simply upload files to a website. They deployed a multi-layered defense system that made bulk access nearly impossible for anyone without specialized technical infrastructure. Here is what they built, and how I bypassed each layer.

Layer 1: Akamai CDN (Web Application Firewall)

The DOJ's Epstein file repository sits behind Akamai, the same enterprise content delivery network used by major banks and government agencies. Akamai's Web Application Firewall analyzes every incoming request for bot signatures: Does the browser fingerprint match? Are the request headers internally consistent? Is the request timing pattern human or automated? Is the same IP making too many requests?

When Akamai detects automation, it returns an "Access Denied" page or a fake 404. The response looks like a missing file, but it contains Akamai signature strings ("AkamaiGHost," "edgesuite.net") that reveal the block. A journalist using wget or curl would see "file not found" and move on, never knowing the file existed.

I bypassed Akamai by building eight complete browser fingerprint profiles: Chrome 132 on Windows, Chrome 132 on macOS, Firefox 134 on Windows, Firefox 134 on macOS, Edge 132 on Windows, Safari 18 on macOS, Chrome 132 on Linux, and Firefox 134 on Linux. Each request randomly selects a profile and assembles the full header stack: User-Agent, Sec-CH-UA client hints (for Chromium browsers), Accept headers, language preferences, and Sec-Fetch metadata. Firefox and Safari profiles correctly omit Sec-CH-UA headers because those browsers don't send them. A single inconsistency (claiming to be Firefox but sending Chrome's client hints) triggers an Akamai block.

Layer 2: Rate Limiting and IP Fingerprinting

Akamai tracks request volume per IP address. Even with perfect browser fingerprints, making 50 requests from the same IP within minutes triggers rate limiting. The DOJ's configuration appears to allow roughly 50 requests per IP before escalating scrutiny.

I rotate VPN exit nodes every 50 requests across eight US servers (New York, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Ashburn). Each rotation kills the VPN connection, reconnects through a different server, verifies the new IP, and settles for 3-6 seconds before resuming. To Akamai, traffic appears to come from different users in different cities.

Layer 3: Drupal 10 Age Verification Gate

Before accessing any file, the DOJ's Drupal 10 installation redirects users to an age verification page. This sets a cookie (`justiceGovAgeVerified=true`) required for all subsequent requests. Standard scraping tools don't handle this redirect, and the cookie expires, requiring re-verification.

I inject the age verification cookie directly into every request header, bypassing the redirect entirely.

Layer 4: Invisible Pagination

The Drupal file listing displays 50 files per page with no indication of total pages. Dataset 11 contains 534,966 files across 10,720 pages. The first page looks complete. Nothing tells you that 10,719 more pages exist. Every major outlet, including the New York Times, appears to have accessed only what was visible on page one.

I discovered the pagination structure by examining page query parameters, then built a pagination-aware crawler that systematically traversed all 19,512 pages across four datasets.

Layer 5: Broken Inventory (Intentional or Not)

The DOJ's official file listing showed approximately 152 PDFs across all four datasets. But the EFTA numbering system is predictable: each file follows the pattern `EFTA` plus an 8-digit identifier. By requesting every possible EFTA number within each dataset's range, I discovered 300+ files that were publicly accessible on the server but never appeared in any inventory page.

Whether this was intentional obfuscation or incompetent database configuration, the effect is the same: anyone who trusted the DOJ's index missed two-thirds of the files.

Layer 6: Anti-Pattern Simulation

Real users don't request 500 PDFs sequentially. They browse listing pages, click around, read some files, skip others. To avoid pattern-based detection, I randomize request order (never sequential EFTA numbers), visit the Drupal listing page every 20 requests to simulate browsing behavior, vary referer headers between the DOJ disclosure pages, Google search results, and direct navigation, and introduce randomized delays of 2.5 to 6 seconds between requests to match human browsing rhythm.

When Akamai detects consecutive blocks (5 or more), the system triggers an emergency cooldown: 90-second pause, VPN rotation, fresh fingerprint, then resume. Six attempts to calibrate this system. The seventh worked.

Phase 3: Document Analysis

I reviewed all downloaded correspondence files using pdfplumber for text extraction and Python regex for entity, date, financial, and contact information extraction.

All extracted data (1,268 names, 985 dates, 78 financial transactions, 993 phone numbers, 2 email addresses, 64+ organizations) was cross-referenced and verified against source documents. I did this all on my 7 year old personal laptop vs. an entire army of government and enterprise level IT personnel and hundreds of servers and services in my way. Are you not entertained? Am I worth 8 bucks a month or not?

450+ files. 300 unlisted. One independent researcher acquired what the New York Times and the rest of the world missed.

Coming Next: Phase 6

I'm currently processing all 450+ documents across Datasets 9-12, including the 300 files that never appeared in any DOJ inventory. Phase 6 will contain:

* Complete entity extraction across all four datasets, not just Dataset 12

* Cross-reference analysis between the listed and unlisted documents

* Network mapping of the 1,268+ names across the full corpus

* Financial pattern analysis across all 78+ documented transactions

* The names and connections that appear only in the unlisted files

The documents the DOJ released but didn't list may contain the information they least wanted found. I'm reading them now.

Subscribe to receive Phase 6 when it drops. Paid subscribers only.

Phase 6 is coming. Don't miss it.

"Here, if you have a milkshake, and I have a milkshake, and I have a straw. There it is, that's a straw, you see? Watch it. Now, my straw reaches acroooooss the room and starts to drink your milkshake. I... drink... your... milkshake! I drink it up!"

— Daniel Plainview, There Will Be Blood (2007)

Notes

[1] "Justice Dept. Releases Final Batch of Epstein Files." New York Times, January 30, 2026. Every major outlet (NYT, WaPo, NBC, NPR, The Hill, CBS, ABC News) reported the same headline figures from the press conference without independent file verification.

[2] EFTA02730265.pdf and associated victim documentation files in Dataset 12. "MV photos from summer 2003 identified" reference appears in archive documentation dated March 8, 2024. MV is standard archival designation for Ghislaine Maxwell in FBI files. Photos were documented as evidence cross-referenced with victim account dates and locations.

[3] EFTA02730996.pdf, EFTA02730274.pdf, and financial transaction entries in Dataset 12. Apollo Global Management appears 11+ times in operational and financial correspondence. Victim account documentation references "early 2000s meetings at Epstein's NY townhouse" with Leon Black presence noted. Timeline spans 2003-2024 in correspondence archive.

[4] "New York Times Uncovers 5,300+ Epstein Files Mentioning Trump in Exhaustive Analysis." Mediaite, February 2, 2026. The Times used a "proprietary search tool" to analyze files "posted to the department's website." This methodology relies on the official DOJ inventory rather than EFTA range enumeration.