A federal judge has authorized the public release of investigative files from grand jury proceedings involving Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted pedophile financier. The transcripts from the 2005 and 2007 investigations into Epstein’s criminal activities will now be disclosed to the public, following a request from the Department of Justice in compliance with a recent congressional mandate.

District Judge Rodney Smith confirmed that the newly enacted federal law, known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act, supersedes previous restrictions on the release of grand jury information, allowing for the disclosure of unclassified records and investigative materials related to the case. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law last month after it was overwhelmingly approved by Congress, directing the Justice Department to make all Epstein-related files available within 30 days.

Despite Trump’s prior opposition to releasing the documents, he supported the bill’s passage, dismissing his earlier claims of a “Democrat hoax” regarding the matter. The released files do not contain information presented to grand juries considering indictments against Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Epstein, who was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 while facing charges of sex trafficking, has been linked to various prominent figures as revealed by a separate investigation conducted by the House Oversight Committee. The investigation unearthed thousands of emails and documents from Epstein’s estate, exposing his connections to global leaders, Wall Street figures, influential politicians, and even Trump himself.

It’s important to note that being mentioned in the released files does not imply any criminal wrongdoing. Trump, who denies any misconduct in his association with Epstein, stated that he distanced himself from the disgraced financier years ago but faced pressure for transparency in recent months.