Federal officials are facing renewed scrutiny after the Department of Justice (DOJ) released surveillance footage labeled "raw" from the night Jeffrey Epstein died in a Manhattan jail cell-footage that video forensics experts say was likely modified before publication. Metadata from the 11-hour file indicates it was assembled from at least two clips and processed using Adobe Premiere Pro, casting doubt on the DOJ's assertions of transparency.
The video, published on the DOJ's website on May 23, 2025, was intended to reinforce a joint DOJ and FBI memo released earlier that week, which concluded Epstein died by suicide and that there was no incriminating "client list." But analysis by WIRED and independent digital forensics experts has raised questions about whether the file can be considered an unaltered record from the prison's surveillance system.
"If a lawyer brought me this file and asked if it was suitable for court, I'd say no. Go back to the source. Do it right," said UC Berkeley professor Hany Farid, a widely recognized expert in digital evidence, who reviewed the metadata for WIRED. "Do a direct export from the original system-no monkey business."
According to WIRED, the metadata showed the file was saved at least four times within a 23-minute window on May 23 by a Windows user named "MJCOLE~1." It also contained references to two separate MP4 source files, suggesting the footage was spliced together before being uploaded. While such processing could have benign explanations-like format conversion or routine editing-federal agencies declined to comment on the specifics of the file's creation.
The footage does include a notable gap: one minute is missing from 11:58:58 p.m. to 12:00:00 a.m. Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed Tuesday that the glitch was part of the system's daily cycle and that a similar gap appears in every night's recording. Still, the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) previously reported that nearly half of the Metropolitan Correctional Center's cameras-especially those in the Special Housing Unit (SHU) where Epstein was housed-were non-functional starting July 29, 2019, due to a system error.
Epstein died on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. The New York City medical examiner ruled the cause as suicide by hanging. But persistent public skepticism, fueled by the disappearance of Epstein's cellmate, camera malfunctions, and guards who reportedly fell asleep on duty, has fed conspiracy theories that Epstein was murdered to protect powerful associates.
The metadata's reference to Adobe Premiere and repeated file saves triggered particular concern. "Why am I suddenly seeing a different aspect ratio?" asked Farid, pointing to another inconsistency in the footage. Though experts stopped short of alleging intentional tampering, they emphasized the DOJ's use of professional editing software contradicts its own labeling of the video as "raw."
The controversy intensified within conservative circles, particularly among Trump supporters. During his 2024 campaign, President Donald Trump pledged to declassify all Epstein-related materials. But backlash has grown in the wake of the DOJ memo that dismissed the existence of a client list-a claim Bondi herself previously hinted at during a February press briefing.
White House tensions reportedly escalated as MAGA-aligned figures expressed disappointment over the administration's handling of the case. Trump brushed off further questions during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. "Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein?" the president told a reporter. "This guy's been talked about for years...and are people still talking about this guy, this creep? That is unbelievable."
Far-right commentator Laura Loomer accused Bondi of a coverup, alleging on X that Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino and FBI Director Kash Patel were "livid" with the attorney general's management of the Epstein files. "She has also LIED to the American people," Loomer wrote.
The DOJ's memo reiterated that "there was no credible evidence found that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals" and that "no evidence could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties." But the department's decision to release processed video, and then decline to explain its provenance, may have deepened mistrust among an already skeptical public.
Video forensics experts noted the file's metadata logged usage of Adobe "Ingredients," a schema for tracking editing operations. The surveillance clip also changed aspect ratios at several points, suggesting it may have been stitched together from distinct formats. "It looks suspicious-but not as suspicious as the DOJ refusing to answer basic questions about it," said one forensics expert who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the case.
The MCC facility where Epstein died was shuttered in 2021 after the OIG declared it unfit for detention. Reports show that the prison's camera system was scheduled for repairs on August 9, 2019-the same night Epstein was found dead-but a technician was unable to complete the work due to staffing constraints.
