The United States Department of Justice released a partial trove of documents from cases against the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but the files were heavily redacted with blacked-out photos and pages. The move has been met with criticism from Epstein's victims, who claim it is a "slap in the face" to their efforts to seek justice.

The released documents, which were published online, included at least 16 files that have since disappeared from the public webpage. The deleted files included a photograph showing President Donald Trump, according to US media reports. The Department of Justice began releasing the trove on Friday to comply with a law overwhelmingly passed by Congress in November.

Epstein's victims expressed outrage and disappointment over the heavily redacted files. "It's a slap in the face to all of us who have been fighting for justice for so long," said one victim, who wished to remain anonymous. "We were promised transparency, but instead, we got a bunch of blacked-out pages and photos. It's unacceptable."

The Department of Justice has maintained that the redactions were necessary to protect sensitive information and to comply with the law. "We understand the concerns of the victims and their families, but we had to balance their needs with the need to protect sensitive information," said a DOJ spokesperson. "We are committed to transparency, but we also have a responsibility to protect national security and other sensitive information."

The release of the documents is part of a larger effort to provide transparency into the Epstein case. In November, Congress passed a law requiring the Department of Justice to release a trove of documents related to the case. The law was passed in response to growing public pressure and demands for accountability from Epstein's victims and their families.

The Epstein case has been the subject of intense scrutiny and controversy in recent years. Epstein was convicted of sex trafficking and other crimes in 2019, but he died in prison before he could serve his sentence. His accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a prison sentence for her role in the crimes.

The current status of the documents is unclear, as at least 16 files have disappeared from the public webpage. The Department of Justice has not commented on the disappearance of the files, but it is expected to provide an update on the status of the documents in the coming days.