A Manhattan federal judge has approved the release of grand jury records from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, the third such ruling within a week to unseal the infamous cache.
US District Judge Richard Berman issued a four-page order on Wednesday granting the Justice Department's request to reveal materials from the 2019 probe into the late convicted sex offender.
This week, similar rulings were made as a New York judge authorised the release of Ghislaine Maxwell-related grand jury documents on Tuesday.
Earlier, a Florida judge approved the disclosure of investigative materials in Epstein's case.
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Judge Berman had previously rejected a similar Justice Department application in August, expressing concerns about "possible threats to victims' safety and privacy."
Grand jury materials are typically sealed permanently under US law.
However, the judge stated in Wednesday's ruling that disclosure was now justified due to the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law on November 19.
The judge described the legislation's language as "clear" in mandating the release of records.
A judge has approved the release of grand jury records from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation
|GETTY
He emphasised the documents would be released with appropriate redactions, writing that victims possess an "unequivocal right" to have their identities and privacy safeguarded.
Unsealed documents could shed further light on Epstein's relationships with wealthy and influential individuals, including former President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Mr Trump himself.
The Epstein files have been a thorn in the side of the Trump administration, with both opponents and former staunch allies demanding their release.
Mr Trump has stressed he ended his friendship with Epstein well before the financier's arrest in 2019.
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The Epstein files have been a constant thorn in the side for the Trump administration
|GETTY
The Republican had initially opposed releasing the files, with both he and House Speaker Mike Johnson characterising them as a partisan attack.
However, Mr Trump changed his position shortly before Congress voted on the transparency legislation.
Ahead of the vote, he encouraged Republicans to support the bill on Truth Social, writing that: "We have nothing to hide."
Judge Berman noted in August the grand jury transcripts represented only a fraction of the broader investigation.
He explained the material "pales in comparison" to the Epstein investigation documents held by the US Justice Department.
Epstein was indicted on sex trafficking charges in 2019.
However, a month later, he died in his cell at New York's Metropolitan Correctional Centre.
The sex offender’s death was ruled a suicide, but sparked a deluge of interest in the case.
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