In a gut-wrenching addition to the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein saga, the Justice Department has unleashed a fresh batch of stomach-turning photos showing the late pedophile financier affectionately kissing and cuddling what appear to be very young girls. The images, part of a massive document dump released on Friday to meet a congressional deadline, were proudly framed and displayed on a fancy wooden bookshelf at Epstein’s infamous private island retreat, Little St. James in the US Virgin Islands. With faces of the children heavily blacked out, the pics are fueling fresh outrage over the depths of Epstein’s depravity and questions about why warnings about him went ignored for decades.

The DOJ dropped thousands of heavily redacted records late last week, including these never-before-seen snapshots that paint a chilling picture of Epstein’s life on his tropical compound. One photo captures Epstein, draped in a robe and looking blissed out with his eyes closed, cradling a tiny blonde girl in his arms. Another shows him grinning ear-to-ear on his private jet, arm slung around a young child in a powder blue sweatshirt. Perhaps the most nauseating: Epstein staring straight at the camera while planting a kiss on a redheaded girl with pigtails. Other shots depict him playfully interacting with small kids, all while their identities are shielded by big black boxes—redactions the DOJ says are to protect potential victims.

These kids look way younger than the teens Epstein infamously paid for in his 2008 sweetheart plea deal in Florida, raising horrifying questions about who they are and whether they’re among his many alleged victims. The photos were seized from Epstein’s island estate, where he hosted a who’s who of the rich and powerful amid his sex trafficking operation. Epstein, who died in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019—officially ruled a suicide while awaiting federal charges—had these affectionate pics on display like trophies.

The timing couldn’t be more explosive. This release comes hot on the heels of bombshell revelations that the FBI was tipped off way back in 1996 about Epstein’s creepy interest in child pornography—but apparently sat on their hands for years. Whistleblower Maria Farmer, an ex-employee Epstein hired to buy art, filed a complaint on September 3, 1996, spilling the beans on his and Ghislaine Maxwell’s predatory ways. Farmer’s been shouting from the rooftops about trying to alert authorities during Bill Clinton’s presidency, and now the feds have finally confirmed her report in this dump. Maxwell, Epstein’s right-hand madam, is rotting in prison with a 20-year sentence after her 2021 conviction for sex trafficking and conspiracy.

Critics are ripping the DOJ for the heavy-handed redactions plastering the files, saying it’s shielding more than just victims. The girls’ faces are completely obscured, but Epstein’s smug mug is front and center. This drop was mandated by Congress to force transparency after years of stonewalling, but many are calling it incomplete—thousands more files are reportedly still locked away. Lawmakers from both parties pushed for full disclosure, yet the black bars have folks screaming cover-up.

Epstein’s world was a playground for the elite, where he allegedly ran a trafficking ring preying on underage girls while schmoozing politicians, celebs, and royalty. These new photos strip away any lingering illusions, showing a man comfortably doting on little ones in private settings. No wonder victims and advocates are demanding answers: How did this go on so long? Why the ignored warnings? And who’s still protected by those redactions?

The broader release has stirred up plenty, with old pics of big names like Clinton resurfacing—though nothing new implicating them in crimes. But these child-focused shots hit different, a raw reminder of the human cost behind the headlines. Epstein’s island, once dubbed “Pedophile Island” by locals, was ground zero for his horrors, complete with hidden cameras and a web of enablers.

As the dust settles on this latest tranche, more files could trickle out, but the damage is done. These framed photos, meant for Epstein’s private viewing, now expose the monster in full. Victims’ groups are pushing for unredacted truth, arguing justice delayed is justice denied. For anyone touched by this nightmare, it’s a painful validation—and a call for accountability that can’t come soon enough.

The Epstein files keep delivering shocks, proving this scandal’s grip isn’t loosening anytime soon. These images, disturbing as they are, underscore why the public demanded them in the first place: to confront the ugly reality head-on.