News

Epstein Survivors Sue US Govt, Google Over Leaked Identities

ByTitilope Adako

PublishedMarch 27, 2026

Survivors of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have filed a lawsuit against the US government and Google after their identities were mistakenly exposed in a massive trove of Justice Department documents.

The Department of Justice released over three million files in January related to the investigation into Epstein, who was linked to numerous high-profile figures.

However, officials failed to redact the names of victims, leaving around 100 survivors publicly identifiable, the plaintiffs said.

“Even after the government admitted the disclosure violated survivors’ rights and removed the information, online platforms like Google continue to republish it, ignoring victims’ requests to take it down,” the lawsuit states. Google is accused of displaying survivors’ personal information in search results and AI-generated content.

Journalists at the New York Times also discovered dozens of naked photos in the documents showing victims’ faces.

Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell in 2019, had been convicted in 2008 of soliciting sex from girls as young as 14, but never faced trial for sex trafficking.

“Survivors now face renewed trauma, receiving threatening calls and messages, and being falsely accused of conspiring with Epstein,” the filing adds.

The plaintiffs argue that the government violated the Privacy Act of 1974, while Google is accused of breaching California laws on privacy, emotional distress, and unlawful business practices.

Titilope Adako

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.