EFTA00037458

From To Subject: FW: records management (Epstein investigation) Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2019 20:16:23 +0000 Importance: Normal CDC in Miami is he advised his contact in OGC did not think it was a good idea. They don't feel comfortable with our files being released out of our custody to a third party. OGC was going to reach out directly I spoke with=nd she had not touched base with OGC as of yesterday afternoon. Below is the long email history on this issue. Fro Sent: monaay, June Z4, 2019 11:4/ AM Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) Hey I. Wanted to follow up on the scanning issue — I know Florida had said they'd get you an answer last Monday, but I take it they didn't — any update from them at all? (This Friday will mark three months since we originally asked Florida to get these dots scanned.) And assuming they're just leaving us hanging, is there a particular person we should have our leadership call? I think they may just call the FBI general counsel, but if you have a different suggestion I can pass it along. thanks, From: Sent: T ursday, June 13, 2019 18:03 To: Cc: Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) Great — what number should we call? From Sent: Thursday. June 13 2019 18:03 Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) Yes That works thank you FBI New York On Jun 13, 2019 5:20 PM, wrote: Would 11:15 be alright? We have a meeting at 10:30 that we think should be done by around 11 but don't want to keep you waiting if it goes a few minutes late. If that works, just let us know what number to call and we'll be all set, EFTA00037458 thanks. From Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2019 17:15 Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) How about 11am tomorrow? FBI New York On Jun 13, 2019 4:41 PM, wrote: Iii sorry for the delay, we've all been in different places this afternoon — but and I are all totally available for the rest of the afternoon / evening to chat, or can do tomorrow if that's preferable. thanks, From Se • - To Su . . Great thanks From Sent:11.111.4.1 a To: Watson, Sean P. (NY) (FBI) <spwatson@fbi.gov> Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) Definitely — let me check with the other two AUSAs on the case and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. (I'm going to the grand jury at 2:00, so may not circle back until a little after 3:00, but will for sure get back to you.) hanksi Fro.. To • T b •vin. 1, 111101].,'1 To Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) Are you available for a conference call this afternoon? I would like to get my investigative team on the same page and some concerns were just brought to my attention. Thanks, From Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2019 2:43 PM EFTA00037459 To: Cc: Subject. RE. records management (Epstein investigation) Sorry just to clarify, it wa vho we talked to about usin —Julio had him be the contact person when we were calling and emailing with them about it a month ago. oke to early May via phone about sending the materials to us so we could give them to a vendor, all of which he generally said would be fine and asked us to memorialize it in an email to him, which we did more than five weeks ago, on May 7. Sometime after that I guess FBI New York prevented them from sending the materials to us, and then another month passed before you guys received the materials a week ago. Wanted to correct the distinction (though we also contacted Mabout the materials generally as well). Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) Great, thanks very much for letting us know. On the files, we were able to look through yesterday but just to clarify it will be the computer searchability that will really help us (flipping through unfortunately has nothing on Control-F capabilities). But sounds like we're in progress with Julio —and hoping for progress on the physical evidence as well. thanks again, Froil Sent: Wednesday, June 12, 2019 14:26 Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) We are waiting on an answer from Miami legal. In the meantime you can come over and access the files anytime you want. I apologize for the delay but NY legal will not authorize the release of the files without Miami's concurrence. I know you mentioned dealing with Julio in the past and he didn't seem to remember giving this the green light. However, I do think they will ok it, he is going to get back to me asap. Thanks, From: 101111111111111111Sn) Wanted to check in on the below —any update on the status? I can't emphasize enough how desperately we need access to those records. EFTA00037460 The other issue that has been stalled for many weeks is obtaining the physical evidence from Florida, which we also really need—if there's any way for us to help get the gears turning on that, we'll do anything at all that would be useful. thanks, Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) Got it, thanks, and that sounds good. Miami was ready to send the records directly to us back in April so I imagine they won't object, but if they need any info from our end just let us know. (We were dealing wit la case that's useful.) thanks again, From Sent: Friday, June 07, 2019 17:29 Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) I spoke with NY legal and they want concurrence from Miami legal. I think we will be good, if it stalls I'll suggest a ence call. I'll keep you posted. Have a great weekend. FBI New York On Jun 7, 2019 4:33 PM, rote: problem at all, we appreciate the update and we're very happy to hear the materials have arrived! Please let me know if any additional info for legal would be helpful —and we're happy to chat with them if they want to reach out, anytime—and we'll take a look on Monday and keep our fingers crossed on approval soon. Thanks again, and hope the ASAC duty wasn't too crazy. Fron• Sent: Friday, June 07, 2019 15:17 Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) My apologies, I was filling in for the ASAC this week and it's been extremely busy. The files have arrived, I am still waiting for legal approval to use your vendor. I am going to send out an email now, in the meantime you can EFTA00037461 come over and look at the files any time you want. I'll get back to you asap. From Sent: urs ay, une , : Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) Wanted to follow up from last week and to see if the records had arrived? Or if not, to just make sure there weren't any problems — not sure how they were shipped, ETA, etc. thanks very much, From: Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2019 16:42 Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) The files are being sent to the New York Office today, I will let you know when they arrive and we'll go from there. Fr Se I 0 Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) I appreciate that, thanks. Please let us know if there's anything at all we can do to help keep things moving, and if you're able to let us know the status when you get an update that would be great—thanks very much again for your help, and talk soon. Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) EFTA00037462 We will get the status on the files asap, my understanding is the case file contained numerous volumes with multiple boxes and they may be a bit disheveled as a result of the previous review. I recognize and appreciate your urgency, I will make sure we get an answer today and get these files up here immediately. I spoke with my ASAC and he's open to the idea of the third party scanning, but he wants the files coming here first to get an accurate assessment before a decision is made. I assure you we are not going to sit on this, hopefully we can get the files up here, if they are not already enroute, and move forward with the approvals for your vendor. Shanks From Sent: Friday, May 24, 2019 2:47 PM Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) Thanks for getting back to us. In terms of the current status, I'm a little confused just because a couple weeks ago we understood that Florida FBI had located the files, and that in fact they had located them and made them available for OPR several weeks ago, and Florida was prepared to send them to our office right away at that time. Our understanding was that the materials they had located included the full case file as well as other boxes the case team identified when we visited back in January (that were in the possession o So I'm not sure what still needs to be located? And in terms of next steps, our bosses are concerned about not having a plan in place —that is, not having a resolution for sure on where the files are going, figuring out what we have in terms of the materials, what will happen when they get here, etc. I think we should be able to work that out now? We can tell anyone who needs to know what the files consist of since we've reviewed them in-person, and similarly we're happy to talk to whoever we need to in order to explain why it would be much easier logistically to have the materials sent to us (or even directly to the vendor), or at least to have the vendor plan approved to start immediately when the materials arrive. We're totally happy to talk directly to the ASAC and FBI legal, or if it's an issue of seniority we can ask our chiefs or the criminal division chief to reach out directly. I apologize if we seem pushy about these docs, but we initially requested them in December, so this has been a six-month long process for us and we thought we had finally resolved it with the Florida counsel earlier this month—and we're getting incredible pressure from our supervisors to have it resolved. Please let us know who we should be in touch with (or if someone above our heads should be in touch, who they should call)? And thanks again for your help. EFTA00037463 Froirl Sent: Friday, May 24, 2019 06:24 Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) Thanks we are still trying to locate the files and determine a time frame on the delivery. I'm discussing the situation with my ASAC and FBI legal, i don't think they're opposed to your idea but right now they don't want the files going direct to the USAO. we'll probably need to get the files here, see what we have and hopefully everyone will be amenable to the third party scanning as discussed. We'll touch base after the holiday. FBI New York On May 23, 2019 1:57 PM, wrote: Wanted to quickly follow up on this to see if there's any update on status (both in terms of whether the documents are en route, and also the prospects for our office managing the vendor process)? Please let us know when you have a chance? And if anything else from us would be helpful, we're happy to do whatever we can to get the gears turning. thanks again, From Subject: RE: records management (Epstein investigation) Thanks very much again for talking with us earlier, and we wanted to get you the example cases as promised— it's a number of cases so hopefully that's helpful. I think the ideal would be for the materials to come directly to us so our paralegals can manage the process with the vendor (unless the documents are already on their way to the New York field office), and then we can send them either to you or back to Florida once they've been scanned. The following investigations have been with our office and FBI where we've used outside vendors, including for original and highly sensitive documents (such as medical records, personnel records, etc.): U.S. v. Chamb6 U.S. v. Adelgla U.S. v. Ng Lap U.S. v. Tortoro, U.S. v. Ashraf U.S. v. Goldbre U.S. v. Vargas, U.S. v. Krupkin, EFTA00037464 U.S. v. Cruz, overdose deat In terms of the vendor, we choose from a small number of organizations that work with us regularly, and they keep all the information strictly confidential (by contractual requirement, most importantly, though also from a desire to be able to continue to get work with us). I'm not aware of any instances where that has been a problem. Please do let us know if any other info would be helpful, and we're also happy to chat with anybody who wants to talk with us about it, and hopefully we can finalize this week. thanks again EFTA00037465