Representatives Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie recently pressured the U.S. Department of Justice to unredact names in files related to Jeffrey Epstein, leading Khanna to read a list of six “wealthy, powerful men” on the House floor, The Guardian reported Saturday.
However, the DOJ subsequently clarified that four of these men have no connection to Epstein; they were simply “fillers” in a photo lineup used by investigators.
While the list included figures with documented ties to Epstein—such as billionaire Leslie Wexner and former DP World CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem—the other four were private citizens whose photos were likely sourced from unrelated NYPD arrests to provide physical matches for a lineup.
The Guardian reported that these individuals, including an IT manager and a Queens resident, were shocked to find their names linked to the financier.
Khanna defended his actions by blaming the DOJ’s lack of transparency and inconsistent redactions for creating the “confusion for innocent men.”
Conversely, the DOJ spokesperson criticized the lawmakers for “unmasking completely random people.”
Despite the error regarding the private citizens, the pressure from Khanna and Massie did lead to the resignation of bin Sulayem after files revealed an email from Epstein referencing a “torture video.”
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