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Jason Leopold
@jasonleopold.bsky.social
140K followers 850 following 1.1K posts
Investigative Reporter, Bloomberg News. "FOIA terrorist." Subscribe to my newsletter, FOIA Files and my FOIA podcast, Disclosure.

Signal: JasonLeopold.666

http://swap.fm/l/O8A3zzBKsGWpqLtjzLSF
https://www.bloomberg.com/foiafiles
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Jason Leopold @jasonleopold.bsky.social · 26d
NEW investigative report: "Things will get really nasty." Hedge funds. Brokerages. Billionaires. Jeffrey Epstein’s financial ties on and off Wall Street were broader than previously known, a cache of emails @bloomberg.com obtained earlier this year reveals
🧵
www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
How Epstein’s Wall Street Contacts Helped Him Build Wealth and Power
The disgraced financier maintained an abundance of access across the finance industry and was willing to play hardball to secure wealth and influence.
www.bloomberg.com
jasonleopold.bsky.social
2025 FOIA Files Recap: It's been a devastating year for the #FOIA. Agencies gutted or eviscerated their FOIA offices & fired staff. But thanks to the incredibly hard work of FOIA officers across the govt I managed to pry loose some important docs. Here are the highlights. Thank you FOIA officers!
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December 30, 2025 at 7:37 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
Another reminder that FBI tasked 934 agents and other personnel to review & redact Epstein files between March & May & prepare the docs for public release. FBI paid $851K in OT/premium pay for a week's worth of work. Via my #FOIA
www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
This email says IMD Specialized Project Updates Status Update Thank you for your support and rallying together to accompish the mission. As of 2:36pm, Phase 2 review of the new criteria provided by DOJ was approximately 75.2% complete. Upon compietion of Phase 2, iMD wili provide a copy of aill see-through redaction files for DOJ review, We will communicaite when all Phase 2 redaction is compiete. inti completion. we request the project team continue Phase 2 efforts and ieadership plan for continued coverage as appropriate for compietion tonight. We will continue to update on progress, and appreciate everyone's efforf. This email says IMD Specialized Project Updates Status Update Thank you for your continued support throughout this project. IMD continues to work through Phase 2 Review for final delivery to DOJ. At this time, all Phase 1 redactions are complete, and non-IMD project teams can be released. We ask each site/division provide a POC to this email, who will be available for the remainder of today, in the event we need additional assistance later today. Thank you again for supporting this effort. This email provides a status update and raises questions about the Epstein files review This email says that have FBI director Kash Patel is seeking updates on the Epstein files review
December 24, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Reposted by Jason Leopold
emma.best
Further confirmation of Epstein money laundering investigations first reported by @jasonleopold.bsky.social, @dmehro.bsky.social and the other folks at @bloomberg.com

(Document: EFTA00037469)
December 23, 2025 at 1:47 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
NEW episode of my podcast Disclosure is out!

One Xmas, my co-host @mvtopic.bsky.social requested the first 25 pages of docs located from a search of the FBI's investigative files referencing “Santa Claus.” The FBI responded by saying they never heard of the guy

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a...
Asking the FBI to Release the Santa Files
Podcast Episode · Disclosure · 12/16/2025 · 38m
podcasts.apple.com
December 24, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by Jason Leopold
theweekendprime.bsky.social
TONIGHT AT 8: FOIA expert @jasonleopold.bsky.social joins to discuss the widespread redactions throughout the Epstein files. Plus, former Time photo editor Emily Keegan on the viral White House Vanity Fair photoshoot that broke the internet.
December 20, 2025 at 9:07 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
🚨 Epstein Files: In his letter to Congress, Todd Blanche says docs were withheld under the deliberative process, atty-client privilege & atty work product. In #FOIA that's the equivalent of a B5 exemption.

🧵
In addition to the bases for withholding or redacting under the Act, the Department has withheld and redacted a limited amount of information otherwise covered by various privileges, including deliberative-process privilege, work-product privilege, and attorney-client privilege, These privileges are based in common law---not statutes---and Congress is fully aware of them. See Fed. R. Evid. 501; Trammel v. United States, 445 U.S. 40, 47 (1980) ("In... enacting Rule 501, Congress manifested an affirmative intention not to freeze the law of privilege."). It is a long-held principle that Congress speaks clearly when it intends to abrogate a common law principle or privilege. See Bassett v. United States, 137 U.$. 496, 505-06 (1890) ("[B ]efore any departure from the rule affirmed through the ages of the common law---a rule having its solid foundation in the best interests of society- can be adjudged, the language declaring the legislative will should be so clear as to prevent doubt as to its intent and limit."). Although the Act broadly categorizes items required to be produced, the Act does not include language expressly requiring the Department to produce privileged materials. See Sec. 2(a); Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta, 597 U.S. 629, 642 (2022) ("Congress expresses its intentions Page 2 of 6 through statutory text passed by both Houses and signed by the President."). A privilege log will be produced in due course as required under the Act
December 20, 2025 at 3:53 AM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
Epstein Files countdown: What should the files reveal? For one, details about this previously undisclosed money laundering investigation conducted by the US Atty in Fla in 2007 & 2008. My @bloomberg.com colleagues & I uncovered details of this unknown probe in Oct

www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
FRoM: jeffrey epstein <littlestjeff@yahoo.com> To: jcayne@ ", henry jarecki < DATE: Fri. Nov 16 2007 9:08 AM SUBJECT: this is how crazy 1.my team consists of professionals with over 250 years of criminal experience. In an abundance of care , we have alsc consulted with outside ethics experts.and former iustice dept officials .The clear and unanimous consensus is they find the conduct outrageous and frankly not one of them , has been able to recall seeing anything like this before.. .2. After the state had conducted its own investigation and returned a grand jury indictment.,the federal gov't , while adamantly refusino to coordinate with the dulv elected district attorney, and his sex prosecutor of 13 years, ,, engaged in a virtual extortion to force the defendant and his counsel to go the state ,and in a wholly unprecedented step, demand , himself that he be charged with a crime greater than the state and grand jury thought appropriate. They then further demanded he obtain. from the state a sentence much areater than the state and its officials wanted., including having to register as a sex offender, a position that the state adamantly opposed. They then compounded their outrageous behavior by then demanding that Epstein pay an unnamed 1ist of people ""alleaed victims"".. a minimum of 150 thousand dollars each. No matter what their actual damages. Thev then refused the defendant, even the right to contact these adults.or conduct his own investigation. This was demanded in exchange for the gov't not prosecuting him for crimes, that they , the feds admittedlv could onlv make the most tenuous connection to. The ausa then suggested the defendant be reauired to hire one of her friends as a continency lawyer, to , be paid for by the defendant to actuallv sue the defendant himself .on behalf of a 1ist of adults that she would only make avaliable after sentencing.. They threatened to use the sex tourism statute 2423 ( with a min mandatory sentence of 10 years) , and apply it to a man going to his home in Florida, a state where he has had a home for twenty years. They also threatened , to bring a case based on the Internet luring statute.2422 that would have to be tortured and stretched bevond all recognition to apply.( in fact there was no internet use at all). They demanded a jail sentence for someone , who had no criminal history,, no violence , drugs, no position of authority, then when they were confronted with an extensive brief as to why these statutes did not applv. they threatened to bring a money crime based on a illegal money transmitting business, even though no such business ever actuallv existed.. After subpoenaing his tax returns , and medical records, they then suggested a money laundering charge or a host of others including the mann act, obstruction etc. , even though they were unable to even postulate the minimum prerequisitie of a specified unlawful activity,.
December 18, 2025 at 10:37 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
Epstein files: Ahead of Friday's deadline to release the files it's notable that FBI already reviewed/redacted the files this year, as I previously reported. Big question is whether the files were reprocessed over the past month & certain redactions, protecting names aside from victims, were lifted
December 16, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Reposted by Jason Leopold
lizhempowicz.bsky.social
Participating in my first Reddit AMA *right now* alongside legends and fellow (proud) FOIA nerds @laurenleharper.bsky.social @kevinok.bsky.social @jasonleopold.bsky.social → come join the fun www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comme...
December 15, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Jason Leopold
freedom.press
👋 Our FOIA requests and lawsuits revealed a trove of government secrets in 2025.

Join @freedom.press, @jasonleopold.bsky.social, @weareoversight.bsky.social, and @kevinok.bsky.social on r/IAmA at 1 p.m. EST to ask us anything about our work and discoveries.

➡️ www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comme...
December 15, 2025 at 5:15 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
Got #FOIA questions? @laurenleharper.bsky.social @kevinok.bsky.social & @lizhempowicz.bsky.social have the answers. Join us for a FOIA AMA today at 1 eastern.
December 15, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Reposted by Jason Leopold
laurenleharper.bsky.social
No cats consented to being in my photo but I am also excited! Join me, @freedom.press, @kevinok.bsky.social, @lizhempowicz.bsky.social of @weareoversight.bsky.social and everyone’s favorite @jasonleopold.bsky.social to talk FOIA at 1 today
December 15, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Reposted by Jason Leopold
kevinok.bsky.social
Very excited for my AMA on Reddit tomorrow at 1:00 with FOIA giants @laurenleharper.bsky.social of @freedom.press, @jasonleopold.bsky.social, and @lizhempowicz.bsky.social of American Oversight! Ricardo and April will be there too
December 14, 2025 at 11:20 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
Receipts!
December 12, 2025 at 11:47 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
NEW FOIA Files newsletter is out! DOJ & FBI have made revelatory disclosures in my #FOIA lawsuit about the docs it withheld related to their review/redaction of the Epstein files

Intriguingly, the FBI said it searched "client lists" to locate records

www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Additionally, the pertinent records were compiled to develop training to ensure efficient ana 'ctive processing of the Epstein documents at issue in compliance with all applicable statutes and to identify third parties potentially implicated in criminal wrong doing through a search of client lists or other relevant information.
December 12, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Reposted by Jason Leopold
brihreed.bsky.social
The deadline to release the Epstein files is next week. Join me Thursday at 5 ET with public record expert @jasonleopold.bsky.social to talk about what the DOJ could do to avoid putting out info and what options the public has to make sure we get these files. open.substack.com/live-stream/...
LIVE SOON: What to Expect From the Epstein File Release with FOIA Guru Jason Leopold
Starting Dec 11 at 5:00 PM EST
open.substack.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:18 AM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
And read reporting shepherded by @emma.best's @ddosecrets.com , which recently obtained the emails from Jeffrey Epstein's private Yahoo account.
ddosecrets.com/article/epst...
December 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
NEW investigative report: "Things will get really nasty." Hedge funds. Brokerages. Billionaires. Jeffrey Epstein’s financial ties on and off Wall Street were broader than previously known, a cache of emails @bloomberg.com obtained earlier this year reveals
🧵
www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
How Epstein’s Wall Street Contacts Helped Him Build Wealth and Power
The disgraced financier maintained an abundance of access across the finance industry and was willing to play hardball to secure wealth and influence.
www.bloomberg.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:53 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
NEW investigative report: "Things will get really nasty." Hedge funds. Brokerages. Billionaires. Jeffrey Epstein’s financial ties on and off Wall Street were broader than previously known, a cache of emails @bloomberg.com obtained earlier this year reveals
🧵
www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
How Epstein’s Wall Street Contacts Helped Him Build Wealth and Power
The disgraced financier maintained an abundance of access across the finance industry and was willing to play hardball to secure wealth and influence.
www.bloomberg.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Reposted by Jason Leopold
ddosecrets.com
NEW report on the leaked Epstein emails, which were obtained by Bloomberg several months before they were submitted to Distributed Denial of Secrets.

Epstein’s Wealth and Power Fueled by Wall Street Connections, Emails Reveal

www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
Epstein’s Wealth and Power Fueled by Wall Street Connections, Emails Reveal
Hedge funds. Brokerages. Billionaires. Jeffrey Epstein’s financial ties on and off Wall Street were broader than previously known, a cache of emails reveals.
www.bloomberg.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:28 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
NEW episode of my podcast, Disclosure, just dropped!

This week, my co-host @mvtopic.bsky.social and I dig into the FBI’s massive review of the Epstein files earlier this year, based on dozens of emails I recently obtained via #FOIA

www.iheart.com/podcast/1119...
What to Expect When You’re Expecting the Epstein Files
open.spotify.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Reposted by Jason Leopold
douglaslucas.bsky.social
This is one of the excellent Jason Leopold's wildest #FOIA stories yet. Has one of your record requests to the United States federal government gone missing? Well, here is maybe why...
jasonleopold.bsky.social Jason Leopold @jasonleopold.bsky.social · Dec 5
NEW FOIA Files is out! In May, I published an investigative report about twin brothers who hacked into Opexus, a govt contractor that handled #FOIA docs & other govt records.

On Wed, the brothers were arrested & charged with computer crimes

www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Charges Filed in the Case of the Missing FOIA Data
Following a Bloomberg News investigation in May, twin brothers Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter were charged with computer crimes related to the theft of government data and destruction of databases.
www.bloomberg.com
December 5, 2025 at 8:34 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
NEW FOIA Files is out! In May, I published an investigative report about twin brothers who hacked into Opexus, a govt contractor that handled #FOIA docs & other govt records.

On Wed, the brothers were arrested & charged with computer crimes

www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...
Charges Filed in the Case of the Missing FOIA Data
Following a Bloomberg News investigation in May, twin brothers Muneeb and Sohaib Akhter were charged with computer crimes related to the theft of government data and destruction of databases.
www.bloomberg.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:22 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
This is an INCREDIBLE investigative story, told in the form of a graphic novel. Arrested by phone - a true story.

A must read

www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
Arrested by Phone: A Graphic Novel
No texting. No visitors. No escape. She was caught in India’s new digital nightmare.
www.bloomberg.com
December 4, 2025 at 6:31 PM
jasonleopold.bsky.social
NEW episode of my podcast Disclosure is now available to all!

It's all about Wu-Tang Clan and how I spent years, along with my co-host & atty @mvtopic.bsky.social, fighting to get the DOJ to release docs about Once Upon a Time in Shaolin

Please check it out!

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
To Crack Wu-Tang Album's Secrets, FOIA FOIA Y'All (Feat. Open Mike Eagle)
Podcast Episode · Disclosure · 11/25/2025 · 35m
podcasts.apple.com
December 2, 2025 at 9:45 PM