WASHINGTON – In a move that has intensified the political firestorm surrounding the legacy of Jeffrey Epstein, House Oversight Committee Democrats on Thursday released a jarring new batch of 68 photographs obtained from the late sex trafficker’s estate. The release, coming just 48 hours before a Congressionally mandated deadline for the Department of Justice to publish its own files, contains what lawmakers describe as some of the most “extremely disturbing” evidence to date.
The latest documents offer a chilling glimpse into Epstein’s world, featuring explicit references to Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita written on a woman’s body, screenshots of text messages discussing the “scouting” of teenage girls, and a collection of foreign passports.
Chilling References to ‘Lolita’
Among the most disturbing images in the trove are close-up shots of a woman’s body with famous lines from Lolita written in ink across her skin. The 1955 novel, which details a middle-aged man’s sexual obsession with a 12-year-old girl, has long been associated with Epstein; his private jet was infamously nicknamed the “Lolita Express.”
According to the committee’s release:
- One photograph shows a woman’s foot with a passage written across the arch: “She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock.”
- Another image displays the quote “She was Dolores on the dotted line” written down a woman’s spine.
- A third photo shows the phrase “She was Dolly at school” written on a woman’s neck.
Lawmakers noted that the Epstein estate provided these images without captions or context, leaving it unclear when the photos were taken or who the woman in the pictures is. Ranking Member Robert Garcia (D-CA) stated that Democrats are redacting personally identifiable information to protect potential victims.
Text Messages and Foreign Passports
The release also includes a screenshot of a text conversation that appears to involve the procurement of young women. In the exchange, a person writes: “I have a friend scout she sent me some girls today. But she asks 1,000$ per girl. I will send u girls now.” The texts are followed by a detailed description of an 18-year-old woman from Russia, listing her height, weight, and measurements. The exchange also notes whether she has access to the “Schengen area,” a reference to European travel zones.
In addition to the messages, the batch includes photos of several foreign passports, including one from Ukraine. While the identifying information was blacked out by the committee, the presence of these documents alongside messages about “scouting” girls has raised further alarms about the international scale of Epstein’s operation.
Powerful Figures in the Frame
While much of the new batch focuses on the darker underside of Epstein’s daily activities, it also continues the trend of documenting his proximity to power. New photos show:
- Bill Gates: Posing with an unidentified woman whose face has been redacted.
- Noam Chomsky: The world-renowned linguist and philosopher is seen sitting on a private plane with Epstein.
- Foreign Officials: The release reportedly includes images of Epstein mingling with high-level international figures.
The Political Standoff: ‘End the Cover-Up’
The timing of the release is a strategic move by House Democrats to pressure the Trump administration and the Department of Justice. Under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law last month, the DOJ is required to release all its files on the Epstein investigation by Friday, December 19, 2025.
“As we approach the deadline, these new images raise more questions about what exactly the Department of Justice has in its possession,” Ranking Member Robert Garcia said in a statement. “We must end this White House cover-up, and the DOJ must release the Epstein files now.”
House Republicans and the White House have fired back, accusing Democrats of “cherry-picking” and “selectively releasing” photos to create a “false narrative” against President Trump and his associates. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson called the release a “narrow selection” designed to distract from the administration’s own efforts to provide justice for Epstein’s victims.
What Happens Next?
The public is now looking toward the Friday deadline for the “Epstein Files.” The law requires the Justice Department to publish the records in a searchable, downloadable format, though it allows for redactions to protect victim identities or ongoing investigations.
As the 95,000 images received from the estate continue to be analyzed, lawmakers warn that more tranches of photos and documents will be released in the coming weeks. For the survivors and the public, the hope remains that the full disclosure of these files will finally reveal the true extent of Epstein’s network and hold any remaining accomplices accountable.
House Democrats release photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate