The FBI Now Has Secret Epstein Tape Without ‘Missing Minute’

July 29, 2025 — The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently released nearly 11 hours of surveillance footage from the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in New York, captured near Jeffrey Epstein’s cell block on the night of August 9–10, 2019, when the disgraced financier died.

The footage was intended to quell persistent conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein’s death, officially ruled a suicide.

However, a forensic analysis of the video’s metadata has revealed significant discrepancies, including a missing 2 minutes and 53 seconds of footage, contradicting claims that the video was “full raw” and unedited.

Adding to the controversy, reports suggest the FBI possesses a separate version of the footage without the previously reported “missing minute,” raising fresh concerns about transparency and the integrity of the evidence.

Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, was found dead in his cell at MCC on August 10, 2019.

The official report from the DOJ and FBI concluded that Epstein died by suicide, a finding supported by a 2023 DOJ Office of the Inspector General report.

However, the high-profile nature of Epstein’s connections to powerful figures, including former presidents and global elites, has fueled widespread speculation that his death involved foul play.

The release of the surveillance footage was part of the Trump administration’s pledge to provide transparency in the case, particularly in response to demands from supporters expecting explosive revelations about Epstein’s alleged “client list.”

The Missing Footage and Metadata Concerns

The DOJ described the released footage as “full raw” surveillance from a camera positioned near Epstein’s cell block, covering the period from 7:40 p.m. on August 9 to 6:30 a.m. on August 10, 2019.

The video was meant to confirm that no one entered the tier containing Epstein’s cell during that time.

However, a digital timestamp in the footage shows a jump from 11:58:58 p.m. to 12:00:00 a.m., initially reported as a one-minute gap.

Attorney General Pam Bondi attributed this discrepancy to a nightly system reset, claiming that “every night should have the same minute missing” due to the MCC’s surveillance system configuration.

A deeper analysis by WIRED, conducted with independent video forensics experts, uncovered a more significant issue: approximately 2 minutes and 53 seconds were removed from one of two stitched-together clips, with the cut beginning at the “missing minute” mark.

Metadata indicates the footage was edited using Adobe Premiere Pro, saved multiple times on May 23, 2025, by a Windows user, and exported before being uploaded to the DOJ’s website.

This directly contradicts the DOJ’s claim that the footage was unedited.

The analysis, first provided by an anonymous researcher and verified by experts with over 15 years of experience in video forensics, also noted internal comment markers in both the “raw” and enhanced versions of the video, suggesting deliberate edits to flag moments of interest, such as movement near a door labeled “46 door” at MCC.

The “Secret” Tape and Ongoing Questions

According to a report by The Daily Beast, the FBI possesses a version of the surveillance video that does not have the one-minute gap at 11:58:58 p.m., raising speculation about why this version has not been released.

The DOJ and FBI have declined to comment on this claim, and the Bureau of Prisons has stated it has “no additional information to provide.”

This secrecy has intensified public distrust, particularly among those who question the official narrative of Epstein’s death.

Forensic expert Jake Green, in an interview on NewsNation’s “Banfield,” described the DOJ’s handling of the footage as “strange” and “kind of unnerving,” noting issues such as the missing minutes, visible jumps in the footage, and even a cursor moving in the top right corner of the video.

Green argued that the footage would not be admissible in court due to its apparent manipulation, stating, “It’s clearly not the original.”

Digital forensics expert Hany Farid, a professor at UC Berkeley, echoed this sentiment, telling WIRED that if presented in court, he would advise returning to the original source for a direct export without alterations.

The discrepancies in the footage have reignited conspiracy theories, particularly among supporters of former President Donald Trump, who was friends with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s.

During his 2024 re-election campaign, Trump promised to release the FBI’s Epstein files to address claims of murder and a hidden client list.

However, the DOJ’s recent memo, stating that no incriminating client list exists and reaffirming the suicide ruling, has angered some of Trump’s base, who expected more significant disclosures.

Posts on X reflect this sentiment, with users like @RealAlexJones and @MeidasTouch highlighting the metadata findings and questioning the DOJ’s transparency.

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones called the DOJ’s memo “sickening,” while others noted that the edited footage fuels suspicions of a cover-up.

These reactions underscore a broader erosion of trust in institutions, as noted by WIRED’s Michael Calore, who observed that inconsistencies in high-profile cases like Epstein’s quickly fill the “vacuum” with speculation.

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Limitations of the Footage

The released footage, while extensive, has significant limitations.

The camera did not capture Epstein’s cell door directly, instead showing a common area and stairs leading to the tier where his cell was located.

A 2023 DOJ report noted that only two cameras in the Special Housing Unit were operational at the time of Epstein’s death, as the MCC’s Digital Video Recorder system had malfunctioned on July 29, 2019.

Cameras directly outside Epstein’s cell were not functioning, a point emphasized by Miami Herald reporter Julie K. Brown, who told CNN’s Jake Tapper that other entrances to Epstein’s wing could have allowed access to his cell without being captured on the released footage.

The revelation of the edited footage and the existence of an unreleased version without the missing minute have prompted renewed calls for transparency.

Mark Epstein, Jeffrey Epstein’s brother, has publicly questioned the suicide ruling and demanded the release of additional materials, including 15 hours of unreleased footage reportedly held by former Trump aide Steve Bannon.

Meanwhile, forensic experts and journalists continue to urge the DOJ and FBI to provide unedited source footage and clarify the editing process to restore public confidence.

The DOJ and FBI’s release of the Epstein surveillance footage was meant to provide clarity, but the discovery of nearly three minutes of missing footage, evidence of editing, and the existence of an unreleased tape without the “missing minute” have instead deepened public skepticism.

Until federal authorities address these discrepancies and release the unedited source material, speculation about Epstein’s death is likely to persist, further eroding trust in the official narrative.

Also Read: MAGA Now Scrutinize Trump Over Epstein Client List Failure

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