Newly discovered metadata has revealed that nearly three minutes of footage were missing from the surveillance video released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI concerning Jeffrey Epstein. This footage was taken from the only functioning camera near Epstein’s prison cell the night before his death. The video’s release was part of a commitment by the Trump administration to investigate Epstein’s death more thoroughly, but it has instead raised significant questions regarding the editing process.
Initially reported, the video was believed to be "raw" footage; however, further examination by WIRED has shown that it was edited, specifically assembled using two clips in Adobe Premiere Pro. The metadata indicates that one of these clips was around 2 minutes and 53 seconds longer than what was actually included in the released video. This trimming occurred just before a noted one-minute gap in the recording — a gap that Attorney General Pam Bondi has attributed to a nightly system reset.
The significant time discrepancies highlighted have suggested a possible connection to the one-minute gap that has been widely discussed. While some have speculated about the implications of these edits, analyses assert that the cuts do not conclusively prove any wrongdoing, nor confirm what the missing footage contained.
The timing of the video’s release was politically charged, occurring amid speculation about new evidence concerning Epstein’s death. The DOJ and FBI’s recent announcements asserting that no incriminating “client list” exists and reiterating that Epstein’s death was a suicide provoked backlash from supporters of Trump, who claimed the government was withholding information.
Further investigations into the released video revealed extensive editing, as researchers found that the video file had been saved and modified multiple times over a lengthy period. Independent forensics confirmed that cuts were made just before the critical hour mark which shows the mention of the one-minute gap.
Despite both the "raw" and enhanced versions of the footage showing comments likely left by analysts during their review, the original comments did not appear in the published version. Concerns have also been raised about the outdated surveillance system at the Metropolitan Correctional Center, which allegedly experienced frequent malfunctions around the time of Epstein’s death.
As backlash continued, President Trump defended Bondi’s handling of the case, asserting her competence amidst accusations of cover-ups surrounding Epstein, who has long been a figure of controversy and conspiracy speculation.
