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Editor’s note: This story includes mentions of sexual assault and suicide.

On Aug. 10, 2019, at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City, Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier and registered sex offender, was found dead in his cell while awaiting charges of sex trafficking. His death received widespread coverage but was later overshadowed by COVID-19 and major domestic racial justice protests.

While his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022, Epstein’s name dwindled from headlines until the 2024 presidential election, when the Epstein files became a major campaign issue.

This shift was prompted by President Donald Trump’s campaign promises to release the Epstein files. The files consist of millions of documents relating to Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation and his high-profile clientele.

With public attention diverted to the election, Epstein’s clientele escaped accountability in 2016. We’re seeing the same thing happen again today. While many powerful men and women aren’t held responsible for their actions, their victims are ignored and stigmatized.

The vastness of the documents and their implications cannot be understated. As of March 2026, hundreds of powerful figures are estimated to be listed in the Epstein files. Many current congressmen and other high-ranking politicians appear in the files. This includes figures considered essential to the current legal system, including the Clintons and Trump.

Even Syracuse University appears in the files. Epstein paid for the tuition of his pilot’s daughter when she attended the Newhouse School of Public Communications, according to the files. The payments totaled $106,654 between 2009 and 2012. Beyond the tuition payments and related correspondence, there have been no identified financial connections between Epstein and the university.

Abroad, in the United Kingdom, influential political figures such as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Peter Mandelson, the former U.K. Ambassador to the United States, faced ramifications for their associations with Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor had his royal titles revoked and was criminally investigated, culminating in a brief arrest in February. Mandelson was also arrested and accused of providing Epstein with valuable U.K. government information 15 years ago during the Great Recession.

Nonpolitical figures, such as socialites, can only be held accountable through official charges and indictments. Their names and actions are often less well known than those of political figures, and revealing their crimes can increase accountability through legal and social actions taken against them.

Despite public pressure, the Trump administration has been reluctant to release the files in their entirety, with only an incredibly small percentage of the millions of documents made public. This is contradictory to what Trump promised during his presidential campaign and to what many MAGA supporters expected. It’s also unacceptable to our democratic system, especially regarding accountability and preventing future abuses of power.

While politicians can escape accountability by using their power within the U.S. democratic system to limit the release of the files, even partial releases can implicate them. For example, Trump’s name appears in the files tens of thousands of times, despite his attempts to prevent their release.

Some have argued that releasing the Epstein files could destroy the American democratic and legal system. But, if the system is already corrupted, allowing powerful figures to commit atrocious actions, it needs to change. This aligns with the principles of the Founding Fathers, who believed that an unjust system must be replaced by a just one.

The current system allowed powerful figures on Epstein’s island to commit despicable actions for over 20 years. One of the primary goals of the Founding Fathers was to ensure that future generations had the tools and ability to hold those in power accountable for their actions.

Younger generations, such as millennials and Generation Z, have been excluded from politics and influence within the U.S. democratic system and other industries. The release of the files could help create a more equitable system led by younger generations, one that can prevent horrific sex trafficking and pedophilia crimes, such as those that took place on Epstein’s island.

Millennials and Gen Z generally have greater awareness of and support for helping victims of sexual assault, such as those abused by Epstein. They have also expressed stronger support for maintaining the rule of law. As people across various industries are implicated, it’s crucial that young people have the capacity to restore the integrity of those industries, whether in politics, finance, film or journalism.

SU can play a role in this effort. Students, faculty, staff and administration have an obligation to pressure the reluctant Trump Administration to release the files in their entirety. Many often forget that SU has a national presence as one of the top American universities with influence on the U.S. government and a national reputation.

Pressure on the Trump Administration can be applied through formal political channels or widespread campus protests. As history has shown, college students have a major influence on public policy.

Future wrongdoing can only be prevented by understanding the harm experienced by victims. In this case, younger generations can prevent major abuses by powerful men and women by reckoning with the past failures that took place on Epstein’s island and continuing demands for justice.

Sam Jacob is a freshman majoring in political science and international relations. He can be reached at stjacob@syr.edu.

Published on March 19, 2026 at 12:15 am