FBI authorised deletion of ‘master copy’ of Epstein cell footage, newly released files show
Updated: Feb 15th, 2026
Newly released documents in the latest tranche of files related to Jeffrey Epstein reveal that an FBI agent sought and received authorisation to erase the “master copy” of surveillance footage from Epstein’s prison cell, stating it was “no longer pertinent” to the investigation, as per reports.
The correspondence, made public on January 30, 2026, shows that approval to destroy the evidence item—labelled 1B60—was granted on June 25, 2024. According to the documentation, Item 1B60 was identified as the “master copy” of the footage.
Reports citing the justification of the erasure read, “As this case was already closed and AUSA concurred on 08/26/2024 with agency evidence handling procedures, authorisation was granted to destroy Item 1B60. Per FBI policy, if an evidence item remains undisposed, the investigative case file must remain open.”
The disclosure comes amid continued scrutiny over the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death in federal custody in 2019.
In May 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation did not initially release the complete surveillance footage from the day Epstein died. A silent video running nearly 11 hours was later released jointly by the FBI and the US Department of Justice in mid-2025 in an effort to counter persistent conspiracy theories.
However, the footage contained a 62-second gap, prompting renewed speculation. US Attorney General Pam Bondi alleged on July 8 that the missing minute was due to a routine nightly reset of an ageing recording system used by the Bureau of Prisons.
The latest documents indicate that the original master copy of the footage had been destroyed, and that subsequent reconstruction may have led to technical difficulties and the missing segment.
In September 2025, a Congressional oversight committee released the full version of the footage, including the previously missing minute. Lawmakers said the material did not show any unusual activity or unauthorised entry into Epstein’s cell.
