- New Mexico filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Justice and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday for “stonewalling” its criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's activities at Zorro Ranch.
- The lawsuit, filed in the US district court for the district of Columbia, alleges that Blanche and his department had “stonewalled” the state investigation after the Zorro property was mentioned thousands of times in recent releases of the Epstein files.
- The Truth Commission released an interim report on the same day, stating that those responsible for protecting New Mexicans relied on others to do their job, including federal prosecutors in New York.
- The Truth Commission also announced additional subpoenas, including to Ten Thousand Waves Spa, which is referenced in the Epstein files.
- New Mexico's criminal investigation into Epstein's Zorro Ranch was opened in February 2019 by then-Attorney General Hector Balderas.
- In 2019, the investigation was mothballed at the request of federal prosecutors.
- In February 2026, Attorney General Raúl Torrez reopened the state's criminal investigation into Zorro Ranch.
- The state legislature passed a measure in February 2026 to create the Truth Commission to investigate Zorro Ranch.
- A July 31, 2026 deadline was set for the DOJ to share information with New Mexico, with Torrez threatening legal action if not met.
New Mexico's Attorney General Raúl Torrez has initiated legal action against the U.S. Department of Justice and acting AG Todd Blanche, claiming they are obstructing the state's investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged crimes at Zorro Ranch. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, accuses the DOJ of stonewalling the investigation, which seeks to uncover the truth about the abuse of young women and girls at the ranch, located about 30 miles south of Santa Fe.1
Torrez had previously warned the DOJ that he would pursue legal action if they did not provide requested information by July 31. The lawsuit claims that the DOJ's refusal to share evidence is actively harming victims and undermining public interest. Torrez stated, “Federal inaction does not merely stall the investigation; it prolongs and compounds the suffering of survivors.”
The DOJ responded, stating that it cannot release certain information due to federal court orders protecting victim privacy. However, Torrez criticized this stance, asserting that the DOJ is hiding behind the survivors and failing to cooperate. He noted that his office has made 10 separate requests for key information, all of which have been ignored or denied.
The lawsuit coincides with the release of an interim report by New Mexico's Truth Commission, which emphasized the need for transparency and accountability regarding Epstein's activities in the state. The commission's report stated, “All records that the DOJ are withholding subject to the EFTA (Epstein Files Transparency Act) should be released.”3
Survivors have expressed support for Torrez's efforts, criticizing the DOJ's claims of protecting identities as disingenuous, given past disclosures of personal information. The commission is currently negotiating with New Mexico's DOJ for better information-sharing practices, but has yet to reach an agreement.
“The lawsuit cites over 13,000 references to Zorro Ranch in released Epstein files, and the state's Truth Commission has issued subpoenas to 20 institutions, with half in full compliance. Torrez says the DOJ has ignored 10 separate requests for information.”
The Guardian
