Authorities were hot on the trail of Epstein's co-conspirators. Why weren't they named in the document dump?

Buried deep in the latest tranche of Jeffrey Epstein files is an email sent by law enforcement with a concise subject line: "Co-conspirators."

The email, sent July 7, 2019, the day after the disgraced financier was arrested after stepping off his private plane in New Jersey, shows police and federal prosecutors were trying to track down 10 others who were allegedly part of Epstein's sordid sex crimes.

"When you get a chance can you give me an update on the status of the 10 co-conspirators?" someone from the FBI in New York asked colleagues shortly after a handcuffed Epstein was taken to a Manhattan prison.

What's troubling for Epstein's victims — and their supporters in the U.S. Congress — is that seven of the 10 names relayed in a subsequent email are blacked out, concealing who might have been cavorting with Epstein and possibly procuring young women and girls for sex.

Another email from May 2020 makes it clear the DOJ has some sort of list of potential wrongdoers, referring to a memo with "co-conspirators we could potentially charge," but there are no names attached.

Survivors of Epstein's abuse have long demanded the government come clean with what it knows about who aided and abetted one of the most prolific pedophiles in history, having victimized over 1,000 women and children.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act that compelled the release of these files was unambiguous about what should be made public: all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials in the possession of the U.S. Department of Justice.

For clarity, lawmakers stipulated no record shall "be withheld, delayed, or redacted on the basis of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary."

The bill did provide for some limited exceptions, including information that could identify a victim, images of child porn or details that could compromise an ongoing investigation.

Given that clear direction from lawmakers, the opacity of these documents is prompting questions about why the names of these possible co-conspirators were left out — and who is being protected as a result of the secrecy.

Speaking to CBC News on Wednesday, Epstein survivor Sharlene Rochard said the redactions are "ridiculous."

While some victims' names were released by the department through this document dump — they maintain it was an oversight — the names of those who allegedly participated in these crimes are shielded from public scrutiny, said Rochard, who is Canadian.

"Pages and pages of black. Predators' names have been redacted. It's so disappointing — this administration is corrupt," she said.

"The Department of Justice needs to shed more light on the co-conspirators, how they were involved and why they chose not to prosecute. Protecting predators is a crime."