New Mexico Attorney General accuses DOJ of blocking Epstein ranch investigation

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez says the U.S. Justice Department has withheld unredacted files related to Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch for more than 130 days, delaying the state’s reopened probe of the Santa Fe County estate. Torrez’s letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche asserts that the missing records contain the names of survivors, witnesses and alleged co‑conspirators, and warns that each day of delay “erodes the foundation upon which a New Mexico prosecution could be built.” He characterises the federal inaction as “real and escalating harm.”

The DOJ’s brief social‑media reply – simply “We are.” – sparked further criticism. The state’s investigation, first closed in 2019 at federal request, was revived after the release of millions of Epstein‑related documents. New Mexico legislators have created a bipartisan subcommittee with subpoena power to aid the inquiry. In parallel, prosecutors have ordered tech firms such as Google, WhatsApp and Yahoo to preserve communications tied to Epstein, including messages from Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor, as part of the same investigation.

Torrez emphasizes that the withheld information is essential for identifying additional victims and potential criminal partners, and he warns that delayed access risks loss of evidence, fading memories and unavailable witnesses.