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Congressman Ro Khanna Identifies Six Previously Redacted Names from Jeffrey Epstein Documents

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U.S. Representative Ro Khanna Identifies Six Previously Redacted Individuals in Epstein Documents

Washington D.C. — U.S. Representative Ro Khanna publicly identified six individuals whose names were previously redacted from documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. The disclosure occurred during a speech in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, following a review of unredacted files at the Department of Justice (DOJ) headquarters.

The DOJ reportedly acknowledged an error in these specific redactions when pointed out by lawmakers.

Congressional Review Uncovers Redaction Errors

Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), along with other politicians, reviewed unredacted versions of the Epstein-related files at the DOJ headquarters on Monday. During his Tuesday speech, Mr. Khanna stated he found at least six men whose identities had been redacted without legal grounds.

Mr. Khanna reported that when he and Congressman Massie identified these redactions for DOJ officials, the officials "acknowledged their mistake" and subsequently revealed the identities.

Mr. Khanna commented that the redaction of these specific names was "a little bit of a farce."

Deputy Attorney-General Todd Blanche stated the redactions were not part of a cover-up, insisting the department was "hiding nothing." He suggested that some redactions might have been mistakenly made in documents containing victim names. Mr. Blanche also claimed the law required personally identifiable information, such as email addresses, to be removed.

However, Representative Massie disputed this, stating that the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress in November, required redacting victim identifying details but not those of Epstein's associates. The Act stipulated that identifying details of victims and information about ongoing investigations should be redacted, but explicitly disallowed withholding information to prevent "embarrassment, reputational harm or political sensitivity." Officials reportedly informed Mr. Khanna and Mr. Massie that the FBI redacted many documents prior to their transfer to the DOJ.

Mr. Khanna highlighted several emails between Epstein and unidentified individuals that appeared to reference the sexual abuse of girls. He expressed concern, stating:

"That means the survivors' statements to the FBI, naming rich and powerful men who … raped and abused underage girls … they're all hidden, they're all redacted."

Six Individuals Identified by Khanna

Mr. Khanna identified six individuals, describing them as "wealthy, powerful men" whose names the DOJ had "hid for no apparent reason." He clarified that the appearance of a person's name or image in the Epstein files does not inherently imply guilt, and none of the men have been criminally charged in relation to interactions with Epstein.

The individuals named are:

  • Leslie Wexner
  • Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem
  • Salvatore Nuara
  • Zurab Mikeladze
  • Leonic Leonov
  • Nicola Caputo

Leslie Wexner

Leslie "Les" Wexner, an 88-year-old American billionaire and retail magnate, founded brands such as Victoria's Secret. He has been associated with helping Epstein build his wealth in the 1990s and early 2000s. Mr. Wexner stated he ended his ties with Epstein in 2007 following abuse allegations and, in 2019, accused Epstein of misappropriating $US46 million of his personal fortune.

Mr. Khanna noted that an internal FBI document listed Mr. Wexner as a potential co-conspirator, a detail not previously public.

Deputy Attorney-General Blanche acknowledged this document, stating, "We have just unredacted Les Wexner's name from this document but his name already appears in the files thousands of times."

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, a 71-year-old Emirati chief executive of the cargo logistics company DP World, was mentioned in an email from 2015, years after Epstein's initial conviction. This email reportedly quoted Mr. Sulayem describing a sexual encounter.

Representative Massie confirmed that Mr. Sulayem's name had been redacted in certain instances, including an email from Epstein to Mr. Sulayem where the financier reportedly wrote that he "loved the torture video."

The content of this video has not been publicly identified.

Further Names Emerge

Salvatore Nuara, Zurab Mikeladze, and Leonic Leonov do not appear to be public figures, and Mr. Khanna provided no further details about them or where their names appeared in the documents. Nicola Caputo is the name of an Italian politician; however, there is no verified evidence confirming he is the same Nicola Caputo named in the files.

Background on Jeffrey Epstein Case

Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution, serving a 13-month sentence. He died in a New York jail in 2019 by apparent suicide while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. The U.S. Department of Justice released a new set of files related to the investigation into Epstein in late January.