If We Can't Do It, They Will
Lithuania is among the countries conducting criminal investigations as a result of the Epstein files release.
The United States investigated FIFA, the world’s governing body for football, and exposed criminal collusion that resulted in numerous guilty pleas and convictions.
Observers at the time noted that other countries were too close to global football's governing body or did not have the investigative capabilities necessary to unwind the threads of bribes and corrupt relationships.
What we are seeing today is that other countries, such as Lithuania, are beginning to investigate potential criminal activity exposed through the release of the Epstein files. The U.S. Department of Justice appears not to be fully complying with the law requiring the release all of the files, and has said that the latest release will be the end of its efforts to investigate Epstein. The Epstein Files Transparency Act requires more than what DoJ has been willing to provide up to this point (just over half of the 6 million files it has in its possession), including justifications for the widespread use of redactions.
The U.S. investigative and legal systems appear to no longer be able or willing to objectively prosecute crimes and seek justice for the criminal actions of those exposed in the Epstein files. Other countries will step in where we refuse to go.
Lithuania, Poland, Latvia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom have opened inquiries or investigative reviews that will follow the Epstein threads to uncover criminal wrongdoing by people subject to their domestic laws. The cumulative effect of these investigations, and any criminal cases that stem from them, will be to expose the depth and breadth of the criminal enterprise and the attempts to cover it up.
DoJ may resist cooperation with these international efforts. It can deny access to names and content redacted in the files, refuse to provide additional information, or deny that other files even exist (as they have already done), but enough information is now exposed, and there are witnesses, financial records, and future testimony that the administration cannot control.
The Trump administration has also diminished U.S. leverage with key partners. Recent history shows allies increasingly willing to pursue independent courses rather than defer to U.S. preferences, particularly where domestic law enforcement and political accountability are concerned.
It will take time, but much of the accountability we could hope for and want to see from the revelations in the Epstein files may come from courts overseas. This will come with or without the cooperation of our own DoJ.