The long-discussed “missing minute” of Jeffrey Epstein’s prison surveillance footage has been located in the tranche of documents released this week by the House Oversight Committee, resolving one of the many controversies surrounding his death.
Epstein, a convicted sex offender with powerful connections, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell on Aug. 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. The FBI concluded his death was a suicide.
Over the summer, the DOJ released more than 10 hours of surveillance video from outside Epstein’s jail cell. But the footage cut off abruptly at 11:59:00 p.m., sparking speculation about a cover-up.
“Missing Minute” Recovered
The new release from the Oversight Committee includes additional data showing the footage switched over at midnight, meaning the clips had to be bound together.
When combined, the “missing minute” reveals no suspicious activity outside Epstein’s cell block in the hours before his death.
[embedded content]
Contradictory Explanations
The finding contradicts earlier statements by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who had claimed the missing segment was due to a daily midnight reset in the Bureau of Prisons’ system.
“What we learned from Bureau of Prisons was every night the video is reset, and every night should have the same minute missing,” Bondi told reporters in July.
But forensic analysis of the recovered files shows the video is continuous when stitched together—undermining her explanation.
White House Questioned in July
During a White House Cabinet meeting in July, Bondi faced direct questions from reporters about the missing clip.
“The video was not conclusive, but the evidence prior to it was showing he committed suicide,” Bondi said at the time.
President Trump, visibly irritated, dismissed further discussion: “Talking about Epstein is a waste of time.”
Ongoing Transparency Push
The Oversight Committee’s release of more than 33,000 pages of Epstein-related documents on Tuesday is part of an escalating bipartisan effort in Congress to demand full transparency. Survivors and lawmakers argue the DOJ is still withholding key files related to Epstein’s operations and his powerful network.
While the “missing minute” may be resolved, questions about Epstein’s connections and government accountability remain very much alive.
