Tempers flared in Washington this week as FBI Director Kash Patel faced a barrage of questions from lawmakers and the public over the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal, reigniting fierce debates over transparency, accountability, and the reach of powerful men allegedly tied to the disgraced financier’s sex-trafficking operation. The controversy unfolded over two tense days of congressional hearings, culminating in a pointed statement from Epstein’s survivors demanding answers and action from the nation’s top law enforcement agency.
On September 16, 2025, Director Patel appeared before the U.S. Senate Oversight Committee, where he delivered a statement that shocked many: after reviewing “a good amount” of the FBI’s Epstein files, Patel declared there was “no credible information” that Epstein had trafficked women and girls to other powerful men. According to The Fashion Central, Patel insisted that all evidence pointed to Epstein acting alone, a claim that immediately drew outrage from survivors, advocates, and several members of Congress.
The following day, Patel appeared before the House Judiciary Committee, where the scrutiny only intensified. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who has been outspoken in his calls for transparency, pressed Patel about allegations that the FBI possessed a list of at least 20 powerful men named by Epstein’s victims as participants in his trafficking ring. Massie recited the alleged contents of the files: “These documents in FBI possession, your possession, detail at least 20 men, including Mr. Jes Staley, CEO of Barclays Bank, who Jeffrey Epstein trafficked victims to — victims including minors such as Virginia Roberts Giuffre, may she rest in peace. That list also includes at least 19 other individuals: one Hollywood producer worth a few hundred million dollars, one royal prince, one high-profile individual in the music industry, one very prominent banker, one high-profile government official, one high-profile former politician, one owner of a car company in Italy, one rock star, one magician, [and] at least six billionaires, including a billionaire from Canada.” (The New York Post)
Massie’s pointed questioning was met with a measured response from Patel, who said prosecutors over multiple administrations had already “investigated those same materials” and that the bureau was “not in the habit of releasing in-credible information.” Patel added, “Any allegations that I’m a part of the cover-up to protect child sexual trafficking and victims of human trafficking and sexual crimes is patently and categorically false.” He also emphasized there is no federal statute of limitations for underage sex trafficking, suggesting that any credible new evidence could still be pursued.
But for many survivors and their families, Patel’s assurances rang hollow. On September 18, ten Epstein survivors—alongside the brother and sister of the late Virginia Giuffre—issued a public statement blasting Patel’s remarks and demanding a full, impartial investigation that goes beyond Epstein himself. Their letter, published by The Fashion Central, read: “Director Patel’s testimony raises more questions than answers.” They referenced Giuffre’s deposition in her civil case against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime partner, in which she named wealthy and well-known men she alleged Epstein and Maxwell trafficked her to. The survivors argued that Patel could take a step toward accountability by releasing the witness interviews, known as FD-302s, that were collected before Epstein’s 2019 indictment. These records, they stressed, are not covered by Epstein’s notorious 2008 non-prosecution agreement with the Justice Department.
The survivors’ statement further noted the inconsistency in Patel’s position: “Now he will pass the buck to [past prosecutors] to decide that information about other men in the Epstein-Maxwell trafficking ring is not even worth following up on?” The group warned that some victims and witnesses have still never been interviewed and questioned whether they would continue to be ignored. “As head of the FBI, Director Patel can work now to remedy that, in a way that finally centers survivor voices and finally pursues the whole truth,” they wrote. “The public demands it; the victims deserve it; and our system of justice without fear or favor requires it.”
Patel, for his part, stood firm under withering criticism from both sides of the political aisle. During the House hearing, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) went so far as to shout across the hearing room, suggesting that even members of the Judiciary Committee might be implicated in Epstein’s trafficking, though no committee members have been publicly accused. “Would you meet with the women who were sexually abused and raped and groomed at the ages of 14 and 16 years old?” Jayapal demanded. “Are you going to continue to cover up for the rich and powerful men, including those that might be on this committee?”
The FBI director, who endured five hours of questioning without a break, bristled at accusations of a cover-up. He maintained that the FBI had released all files that courts currently allow and that the bureau continues to investigate credible leads. Patel also used his time to tout nationwide declines in crime and to warn about potential terrorists crossing the US-Canada border, saying, “I don’t give a damn what they say about me as long as I’m succeeding in the mission… all I care about is that we are capturing more child predators than ever before, taking more drugs off the streets than ever before, that we are capturing murderers at a significantly historic rate, and we’re delivering this country the lowest murder rate in recorded history.”
The hearings also touched on the broader web of prominent figures once associated with Epstein, including Prince Andrew, former President Bill Clinton, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, and others. The Justice Department declined to comment on the matter, and Barclays Bank did not respond to requests for comment about Jes Staley’s alleged inclusion on the list.
The uproar comes amid renewed scrutiny of the Trump administration’s handling of the case. Attorney General Pam Bondi initially claimed Epstein’s “client list” was on her desk before later stating it did not exist. Meanwhile, questions about Trump’s own relationship with Epstein, including a purported birthday letter, have resurfaced, though Trump has denied any involvement and filed a lawsuit against media reporting on the matter.
Jeffrey Epstein was first charged with sex crimes in the mid-2000s but avoided serious prison time through a controversial plea deal. He was indicted again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges, but died in a Manhattan jail cell that August, with his death ruled a suicide by hanging. Ghislaine Maxwell, his longtime associate, was later convicted of sex trafficking offenses.
As the dust settles from this week’s hearings, one thing is clear: survivors and the public remain deeply unsatisfied with official answers. The demand for transparency and justice continues to echo through the halls of Congress—and far beyond.
