Warning: this story includes descriptions of sexual abuse. Being pictured with or around Jeffrey Epstein does not indicate that the individual knew of or was involved in his crimes.
One of Jeffrey Epstein's victims is speaking out as the Department of Justice releases heavily redacted files relating to its investigation into his crimes.
While the DOJ has not yet released all of the investigation files it is legally required to, at least one victim says she is vindicated.
Maria Farmer reported Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's activities to the FBI in 1996 — a fact that Friday's release confirmed.
Farmer issued a statement following the release of the files:
"I'm crying for two reasons: I want everyone to know that I'm shedding tears of joy for myself, but also tears of sorrow for all of the other victims that the FBI failed."
Farmer's attorney Jennifer Freeman spoke to Scripps News on Friday, where she called the release both a triumph and a tragedy.
"Triumph because it's taken a long time to get here," Freeman said. "For Maria Farmer, 30 years to get here. She reported Epstein and Maxwell to the FBI in 1996, and had the government done their job, 1,000 victims could have been spared and over 30 years of trauma avoided."
"One of the documents we received, we were able to pull out very quickly, was the confirmation that Maria actually did this report in 1996, just as she's been saying for a very long time."
"This is a very important step towards justice, but it certainly is nowhere near accountability or some kind of appropriate response to the survivors who have been waiting — some for decades — for some kind of justice, some kind of acknowledgment, belief and feeling that they matter," Freeman said.
Files released Friday include photos, court documents, taped interviews and other materials.
The hundreds of thousands of documents released on Friday show many of Epstein's victims, whose images and other details have been heavily redacted for their protection. Some documents show hand-written testimony describing victims' interaction with Epstein.
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Lawmakers who sought more information on behalf of victims criticized the DOJ's release.
Unfortunately, today’s document release by @AGPamBondi and @DAGToddBlanche grossly fails to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law that @realDonaldTrump signed just 30 days ago. @RepRoKhanna is correct. https://t.co/gZQyQBUT4R
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) December 19, 2025
"Unfortunately, today’s document release by Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche grossly fails to comply with both the spirit and the letter of the law that President Donald Trump signed just 30 days ago," wrote Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who has campaigned with survivors to pressure the DOJ to release its investigation.
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The trove of documents includes audio and video files of testimony from victims, released as part of a Freedom of Information Act request submitted in Florida.
But scanned photographs, names of individuals and often entire pages of the document release are wholly redacted. Deputy attorney general Todd Blanche said redactions were meant to guard the identities of 1,200 victims and relatives of victims.
Scripps News is continuing to examine the documents from the Department of Justice to determine what they reveal about Epstein’s network, his associates, his financial ties and whether anyone knew about his alleged crimes.
