New Mexico officials have accused the Department of Justice under Donald Trump of obstructing their investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes at his Zorro Ranch property. The state’s Attorney General, Raúl Torrez, is demanding immediate access to files requested by his office several months ago, which he claims the Justice Department is now withholding despite previous verbal assurances.
The state’s investigation into Epstein’s alleged crimes at the Santa Fe County property is ongoing, and Torrez’s office has requested records from the Justice Department more than 130 days ago. However, access to the requested records has not been granted, and no substantive response has been provided. The records in question include the names of survivors, witnesses, co-conspirators, and other individuals whose identities are essential to the state’s investigation.
State investigators reopened the investigation into the 26,700 square foot hilltop mansion in Santa Fe County after the Justice Department began releasing millions of documents stemming from Epstein investigations. Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, who died by suicide in 2025, was pictured at Zorro Ranch, and other survivors of his abuse have described the abuse they experienced under Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell at the property.
Torrez has written to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, stating that survivors of serious criminal conduct at Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch in New Mexico are being denied justice due to the Justice Department’s failure to comply with the state’s outstanding records request. He also warned that the withholding of documents is causing real and escalating harm to the state’s investigation and may imperil the prospect of prosecutions if there are legal hurdles under statutes of limitations and due process.
The state’s 2019 criminal investigation into Epstein’s activities in New Mexico closed within a year without any charges filed. However, earlier this year, state lawmakers created an investigatory subcommittee with subpoena power to collect testimony, records, and other evidence. The committee is expected to operate through the rest of 2026 with a budget of $2 million.
The Zorro Ranch property, which includes an airstrip, helipad, and hilltop mansion, was put up for sale in July 2021 and was valued at $27.5 million at that time. It was acquired in 2023 by Don Huffines, a businessman and self-declared ‘MAGA Trump Republican’ who recently won the Republican nomination for Texas comptroller.
The Independent has requested comment from the Justice Department.
