Which primary Epstein documents (flight logs, schedules, guest lists) have been publicly released and who appears on them?
Executive summary
The Justice Department and FBI have publicly released multiple primary Jeffrey Epstein documents — notably flight logs, a redacted contacts book (often called his "black book"), masseuse lists, evidence lists, emails and schedules and thousands more pages under the Epstein Files program — and those documents include the names of numerous high-profile people such as Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew (Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor), Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Steve Bannon, Steve Tisch and others [1] [2] [3]. Reporting and government postings make clear that the releases are partial, heavily redacted in places to protect victims, and that the presence of a name in those documents does not by itself prove criminal conduct [1] [4].
1. What has been released: the document types the government has put online
The Department of Justice and FBI declassified and published batches of material described in DOJ press material as including an Evidence List, flight logs from Epstein’s aircraft, a redacted contact book, a masseuse list, emails, calendars/schedules and other investigatory files and media; agency pages and press statements identify the flight log and evidence list as explicitly released items [1] [5] [6]. Congress and the DOJ later published much larger troves — described in reporting as millions of pages, images and videos — under statutory pressure and tranche releases, with officials calling several releases “phases” and warning that victim-identifying material would be withheld [7] [8] [4].
2. Flight logs: what they are and who appears on them
Handwritten and printed passenger logs for Epstein’s planes — introduced into evidence at the Maxwell trial and later posted by the government — list detailed passenger entries and destinations from the 1990s and 2000s and have long been the most-cited primary source [9] [5]. Those logs and DOJ-released flight lists have included names and entries tied in reporting to Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, and have shown visits by or associations with Elon Musk and Prince Andrew among others, though context varies and presence on a log is not an allegation of trafficking or wrongdoing by itself [9] [4] [3].
3. The contacts book, masseuse list and guest lists: names and limits
A redacted version of Epstein’s contact book and a separate masseuse list were publicly released; the DOJ and news outlets noted that the contacts book contains many public figures’ names and that a masseuse list and guest lists from events and dinners also included high‑profile names such as Steve Tisch and other cultural and political figures [2] [1] [10]. News organizations and the BBC reported repeated citations of names — including Clinton associates such as Larry Summers, and public figures like Peter Mandelson — appearing in emails, guest lists or correspondence, while some individuals named have disputed or questioned document authenticity [8] [11] [4].
4. Emails, schedules and other investigatory files: what they show
Subsequent batches included emails, schedules and internal diagrams of Epstein’s social circle that researchers say show communications with former White House advisers, financiers and media figures; reporting describes documents comparing calendars to arrange meetings in Florida or the Caribbean and a diagram naming close associates like Ghislaine Maxwell, Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn [8] [3]. Media outlets covering the larger DOJ releases reported that some documents mention Steve Bannon, Steve Tisch and billionaire contacts, and that many references are reproduced from prior disclosures in congressional releases [8] [3] [4].
5. Photographs, videos and withheld material; limits of public releases
Government statements and reporting emphasize that a “large volume” of images and videos exist in the files but that material identifying victims or containing illegal child‑abuse imagery is being withheld; the DOJ said releases are subject to redaction to protect victims, and news coverage notes the public batches still leave unanswered questions for investigators and the public [4] [1]. Independent coverage also warns readers that names in the files have been amplified across outlets and social media, sometimes without context, and that some named people have denied wrongdoing or said appearances in records reflect social or incidental contact rather than criminality [11] [4].
6. What the records do and do not prove, and how reporting has handled names
Primary documents released by the DOJ — flight logs, a contacts book, masseuse and evidence lists, emails and schedules — are authentic as government holdings and have been used as evidence in trials and reporting, but multiple outlets caution that inclusion of a name is not proof of criminal conduct and that some entries have been contested or may reflect social introductions or third‑party references rather than direct criminal involvement [9] [3] [11]. The public record therefore establishes which types of documents are available and which prominent names appear in them, while also underscoring that proving illegal activity requires case‑by‑case legal and evidentiary assessment beyond name‑checking [1] [8].