What is the best way to search the Epstein document archive?

The most effective approach is to start with the main search page at /search, which combines full-text keyword matching with semantic (meaning-based) search. For people, use the Names page at /names for fuzzy name matching. For flights, use the flight log filters by airport, date, or passenger.

Can I search for a specific person in the Epstein files?

Yes. Visit the Names page (/names) to search across 23,000+ named individuals and entities. The search uses fuzzy matching, so it works even with partial names or slight misspellings. Each person has a profile page with linked documents, flights, and connections.

What is semantic search and how does it work?

Semantic search uses AI to understand the meaning behind your query rather than just matching keywords. For example, searching 'How did Epstein recruit victims?' will find relevant documents even if they don't contain the exact word 'recruit.' The archive combines semantic search with traditional keyword search for the best results.

Can I ask questions about the Epstein documents using AI?

Yes. The Ask AI feature at /ask uses Anthropic's Claude to analyze documents and answer questions with source citations. You can ask complex questions like 'What was the timeline of the Palm Beach investigation?' and receive synthesized answers drawn from multiple documents.

How do I filter Epstein documents by date, type, or data set?

On the Documents page (/documents), use the filter controls to narrow results by date range, document type (FBI reports, court filings, financial records, etc.), source data set (1-12), and whether the document has searchable text content.

How to Search the Epstein Files: Tutorial & Tips for Finding Documents

How to Search the Epstein Files

With over 207,000 documents in the archive, finding what you're looking for requires the right search strategy. This guide walks you through every search tool available on the Epstein Document Archive and how to use them effectively.

Quick Start: Basic Search

The fastest way to start is the main search page. Type any keyword, name, location, or phrase into the search bar and press Enter. The search engine will return matching documents ranked by relevance.

Example searches to try:

`Palm Beach investigation` — Find documents related to the Florida investigation
`flight manifest 2002` — Look for flight records from a specific year
`Ghislaine Maxwell deposition` — Find deposition transcripts
`bank wire transfer` — Search financial records
`FBI interview` — Browse FBI interview reports

Understanding Search Results

Each search result displays:

Document title — The name or identifier of the document
Relevance score — How closely the document matches your query
Document type — Whether it's an FBI report, court filing, financial record, etc.
Source — Which DOJ data set the document comes from
Date — The document date, when available
Content preview — A snippet showing where your search terms appear in the document

Click any result to view the full document detail page, which includes the complete text content, metadata, linked entities, and a link to the original PDF.

Search Methods Explained

The archive uses a hybrid search system that combines two powerful search methods:

#### 1. Full-Text Search (Keyword Matching)

Full-text search finds documents containing your exact keywords. It uses PostgreSQL's built-in text search with weighted fields — matches in titles are ranked higher than matches in body text.

Tips for full-text search:

Use quotes for exact phrases: `"non-prosecution agreement"`
Use multiple keywords to narrow results: `Epstein Maxwell travel 2005`
Try different word forms: `deposition`, `deposed`, `testimony`
Search for document identifiers if you know them: `DE-00012345`

#### 2. Semantic Search (Meaning-Based)

Semantic search understands the meaning behind your query, not just the keywords. It uses AI-generated vector embeddings to find documents that are conceptually related to your query, even if they don't contain the exact words you typed.

When semantic search shines:

`How did Epstein recruit victims?` — Finds documents about recruitment methods even if they don't use the word "recruit"
`Financial connections to political figures` — Surfaces relevant financial records and correspondence
`Evidence of cover-up` — Locates documents discussing obstruction or interference without requiring exact phrasing

The hybrid search system automatically combines both methods using Reciprocal Rank Fusion (RRF), giving you the best of both approaches in a single set of results.

Searching for People

The People section is your gateway to finding information about specific individuals mentioned in the files. There are two ways to search for people:

#### Name Search

Visit the Names page to search across all 23,000+ named individuals and entities. The name search uses fuzzy matching (trigram search), which means it will find results even if you misspell a name or use a partial name.

Try these searches:

A person's full name: `Ghislaine Maxwell`
A partial name: `Maxwell`
An organization: `JP Morgan`
A location entity: `Palm Beach`

#### People Profiles

Each person in the archive has a profile page showing:

Linked documents — Every document where they are mentioned. Example: view a person's documents
Flight records — Flights where they appear as a passenger. Browse all flights
Connections — Their relationships to other people in the network
Entity type — Whether they are a person, organization, location, or other entity type

Using Filters

On the Documents page, you can narrow your results using several filters:

Date range — Filter documents by their date (when available)
Document type — FBI reports, court filings, financial records, FOIA releases, etc.
Source/Data set — Filter by which DOJ data set the document comes from (Data Sets 1-12)
Has content — Show only documents that have been OCR-processed with searchable text

Combining filters with search terms produces the most precise results.

Flight Log Search

The Flight Logs page provides specialized search for Epstein's aircraft records:

Filter by airport — Search flights departing from or arriving at specific airports (Teterboro KTEB, Palm Beach KPBI, St. Thomas TIST, and more)
Filter by date — Narrow flights to a specific date range
Filter by passenger — Find all flights a specific person took
View routes — See flight paths on an interactive map

AI-Powered Q&A

For complex questions, use the Ask AI page. This feature uses Anthropic's Claude to analyze documents and provide answers with direct citations to source materials.

Great questions to ask:

"What was the timeline of the Palm Beach investigation?"
"Which financial institutions are mentioned in the documents?"
"What do the documents say about the non-prosecution agreement?"
"Who visited Epstein's properties most frequently according to flight logs?"

The AI will search through the archive, synthesize information from multiple documents, and provide a clear answer with links to the specific documents it referenced.

Advanced Search Tips

Start broad, then narrow — Begin with a general search term, then add filters or more specific keywords based on initial results
Try alternative names — People may be referenced by full names, nicknames, initials, or titles
Search by document ID — If you find a document reference in another source, search for its ID directly
Use the timeline — The Timeline page provides a chronological view that can help you find documents from specific periods
Check related documents — Each document detail page shows related documents and linked entities, which can lead you to additional relevant materials
Explore connections — Use the People section to follow the web of relationships between individuals

Staying Current

The Trending page shows what other researchers are searching for, which can surface topics and documents you might not have considered. Check it periodically for popular search terms and newly discovered connections.

How to Search the Epstein Files: Step-by-Step Tutorial