There is no evidence the footage was deceptively manipulated, but ambiguities around how the video was processed may further fuel conspiracy theories about Epstein’s death
The United States Department of Justice this week released nearly 11 hours of what it described as “full raw” surveillance footage from a camera positioned near Jeffrey Epstein’s prison cell the night before he was found dead. The release was intended to address conspiracy theories about Epstein’s apparent suicide in federal custody. But instead of putting those suspicions to rest, it may fuel them further.
Metadata embedded in the video and analyzed by WIRED and independent video forensics experts shows that rather than being a direct export from the prison’s surveillance system, the footage was modified, likely using the professional editing tool Adobe Premiere Pro. The file appears to have been assembled from at least two source clips, saved multiple times, exported, and then uploaded to the DOJ’s website, where it was presented as “raw” footage.
Experts caution that it’s unclear what exactly was changed, and that the metadata does not prove deceptive manipulation. The video may have simply been processed for public release using available software, with no modifications beyond stitching together two clips. But the absence of a clear explanation for the processing of the file using professional editing software complicates the Justice Department’s narrative. In a case already clouded by suspicion, the ambiguity surrounding how the file was processed is likely to provide fresh fodder for conspiracy theories.
Any aspect of the official story that isn’t fully explained will be co-opted by conspiracy theorists, says Mike Rothschild, an author who writes about conspiracy theories and extremists. “So whatever your flavor of Epstein conspiracy is, the video will help bolster it.”
For months leading up to the joint memo the DOJ and FBI published Monday, attorney general Pam Bondi had promised the release of records related to Epstein, raising expectations that new, potentially incriminating details might surface about the disgraced financier’s death and his ties to powerful individuals. However, rather than revealing new information, the memo largely confirmed conclusions reached years earlier: that Epstein was found in a Manhattan prison cell on August 10, 2019, and died by suicide while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
To support its conclusion, the FBI reviewed surveillance footage overlooking the common area of the Special Housing Unit (SHU) at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), where Epstein was held. The FBI enhanced the footage by adjusting contrast, color, and sharpness, and released both the enhanced and what it described as the “raw” version. Both versions of the video appear to have been processed using Premiere and include much of the same metadata. According to the FBI, anyone entering the area containing Epstein’s cell during the relevant time frame would have been visible on that camera.
Working with two independent video forensics experts, WIRED examined the 21-gigabyte files released by the DOJ. Using a metadata tool, reporters analyzed both Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) and Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) data to identify signs of postprocessing.
The “raw” file shows clear signs of having been processed using an Adobe product, most likely Premiere, based on metadata that specifically references file extensions used by the video editing software. According to experts, Adobe software, including Premiere and Photoshop, leaves traces in exported files, often embedding metadata that logs which assets were used and what actions were taken during editing. In this case, the metadata indicates the file was saved at least four times over a 23-minute span on May 23, 2025, by a Windows user account called “MJCOLE~1.” The metadata does not show whether the footage was modified before each time it was saved.
The embedded data suggest the video is not a continuous, unaltered export from a surveillance system, but a composite assembled from at least two separate MP4 files. The metadata includes references to Premiere project files and two specific source clips—2025-05-22 21-12-48.mp4 and 2025-05-22 16-35-21.mp4. These entries appear under a metadata section labeled “Ingredients,” part of Adobe’s internal schema for tracking source material used in edited exports. The metadata does not make clear where in the video the two clips were spliced together.
Hany Farid, a professor at UC Berkeley whose research focuses on digital forensics and misinformation, reviewed the metadata at WIRED’s request. Farid is a recognized expert in the analysis of digital images and the detection of manipulated media, including deepfakes. He has testified in numerous court cases involving digital evidence.
Farid says the metadata raises immediate concerns about chain of custody—the documented handling of digital evidence from collection to presentation in a courtroom. Just like physical evidence, he explains, digital evidence must be handled in a way that preserves its integrity; metadata, while not always precise, can provide important clues about whether that integrity has been compromised.
“If a lawyer brought me this file and asked if it was suitable for court, I’d say no. Go back to the source. Do it right,” Farid says. “Do a direct export from the original system—no monkey business.”
Farid points to another anomaly: The video’s aspect ratio shifts noticeably at several points. “Why am I suddenly seeing a different aspect ratio?” he asks.
Farid cautions that while the metadata clearly shows the video was modified, the changes could be benign—for example, converting footage from a proprietary surveillance format to a standard MP4.
While there may be uncontroversial explanations for the metadata artifacts, such as stitching together multiple days of footage during compilation, or the routine export of surveillance footage to an mp4 format, the FBI did not respond to specific questions about the file’s processing, instead referring WIRED to the DOJ. The DOJ in turn referred inquiries back to the FBI and the Bureau of Prisons. The BOP did not respond to a request for comment.
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Tucker Carlson makes bombshell allegations about Jeffrey Epstein as MAGA civil war rages over ‘client list’
Tucker Carlson claimed Jeffrey Epstein was an Israeli agent who blackmailed US politicians on Friday while addressing a political gathering for young voters in Florida.
The former Fox News host issued his wild conspiracy theory about Epstein as MAGA implodes over the Trump administration’s handling billionaire’s so-called ‘client list.’
‘The real question is, why was he doing this, on whose behalf, and where did the money come from?’ Tucker asked about Epstein’s mysterious fortune.
‘And those are the questions that need to be answered. And I think it’s entirely fair to ask them.’
While addressing the ring-wing crowd, Tucker brought up the Department of Justice (DOJ) statement that Epstein’s ‘client list’ never existed.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has come under fire for the call she made earlier this week, when she also squashed speculation that Epstein’s 2019 jail cell death was anything other than a suicide.
Carlson denounced the DOJ’s findings, going on to share his own theory about Epstein’s sinister scheme.
He explained that he believes Epstein, 66, was employed by Israel’s intelligence service, Mossad.
Carlson questioned where all of the billionaire’s wealth came from, going from a math teacher to ‘having multiple airplanes, a private island, and the largest residential house in Manhattan.’
‘And no one has ever gotten to the bottom of that because no one has ever tried. And moreover, it’s extremely obvious to anyone who watches, that this guy had direct connections to a foreign government,’ he claimed.
He said the reason Epstein’s connection to the Middle Eastern nation is not discussed publicly was because ‘we have been somehow cowed into thinking that’s naughty.’
‘There is nothing wrong with saying that. There is nothing hateful about saying that. There’s nothing anti-Semitic about saying that. There’s nothing even anti-Israel about saying that,’ Tucker asserted.
‘And the effect of making that off-limits has been to create a lot of resentment and I’ll say it, hate online, where people feel like they can’t just say, “What the hell is this? You have the former Israeli prime minister living in your house?”‘
Carlson was likely referring to Epstein’s close ties with the former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
Barak met with him dozens of times – and even allegedly stayed over at Epstein’s place – starting in 2013.
‘You have all this contact with a foreign government. Were you working on behalf of them? Were you running a blackmail operation on behalf of a foreign government?’ he asked the stunned listeners.
Carlson also claimed that ‘every single person in Washington DC’ shares his sentiment, and none of them ‘hate Israel.’
On Tuesday, Carlson discussed this very topic on his podcast, claiming Bondi was orchestrating a cover-up in order to protect members of the intelligence community who were ensnared in Epstein’s conduct.
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Laura Loomer, After Scooping Bongino News, Says Ron DeSantis Is Under Consideration to Replace Pam Bondi
Laura Loomer, the prominent MAGA influencer and Trump-world insider, dropped several posts on Friday, one of which turned out to be a quickly confirmed scoop. Loomer reported that Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino is “now seriously thinking about RESIGNING” amid the ongoing fallout from the so-called “Epstein Files” memo, concluding there was no conspiracy.
Loomer’s Bongino post was quickly confirmed by mainstream media reporters from CNN and Axios. She later posted that if President Donald Trump were to fire Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has been under fire over her handling of the Epstein case, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is a leading contender to replace her.
“If Blondi is fired, I’m told @GovRonDeSantis has been considered/floated for the role of Attorney General by some over the last few months,” Loomer wrote on X, adding:
There’s also a private push behind the scenes by some GOP donors who want to see @KenPaxtonTX as AG, but he has US Senate aspirations.
However, discussions have been taking place for several months about who could be Blondi’s replacement if she ever was fired or resigned.
She has not done a good job as AG and everyone knows it.
Loomer has been a fierce critic of Bondi for weeks now and has called for her resignation on several occasions. Loomer also posted a jab at Bondi, writing, “A lot of people who work for President Trump are pissed with Blondi. They know she Fkd up. Now it’s a matter of what happens next. She is an embarrassment to Donald Trump and his administration and we need to protect Trump from people who want to DRAG HIM DOWN. Blondi needs to be fired.”
Loomer has long been a controversial figure in the MAGA world, but has gained power in recent months as she has Trump’s ear. Loomer was widely reported to have been the driving force behind Trump removing National Security Advisor Mike Waltz in April, among other national security officials she urged him to purge.
Loomer, who became famous for her anti-Islam rhetoric and promotion of conspiracy theories, stirred controversy during the 2024 presidential election as she traveled with then-candidate Trump on 9/11 to memorial services. Loomer’s presence with Trump stirred anger as she had suggested in the past that the 9/11 terror attacks were an “inside job.”
Loomer took a victory lap as well, boasting of her scoop on Bongino. “CNN @kaitlancollins is now confirming my exclusive report about how @dbongino is considering RESIGNING from the FBI over his clash with Pam Blondi and the DOJ for her mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and lack of transparency at the DOJ. Notice how they don’t even cite my reporting even though I was first to break the news about him taking the day off today and contemplating resigning.”
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