WASHINGTON - The US Department of Justice on Friday released a trove of records from the files related to late financier Jeffrey Epstein, roughly a month after the US Congress approved a bill requiring their release by Dec 19, with only narrow exceptions.

US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said earlier in the day that the release would include "several hundred thousand" records, and more would be disclosed in the coming weeks.

The latest action came roughly one month after the US House of Representatives passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act with nearly unanimous approval, followed by unanimous approval in the Senate.

The act required the department to publish all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials in its possession related to the investigation and prosecution of Epstein by Dec 19, with narrow exceptions for personally identifiable information of the victims and materials that could jeopardize an active federal investigation.

Epstein had close connections with many prominent American political and business figures. After being arrested on sexual offense charges, he died in prison in August 2019, in what was officially ruled a suicide.

US President Donald Trump promised during his 2024 presidential campaign that if elected, he would release documents related to the Epstein case.