Month: August 2025

A federal judge in New York who presided over the sex trafficking case against the late financier Jeffrey Epstein has rejected the government’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts.

The ruling Wednesday by federal Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan came after the judge presiding over the case against Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell also turned down the government’s request. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after her conviction on sex trafficking charges for helping Epstein sexually abuse girls and young women.

According to Berman’s ruling, no victims testified before the Epstein grand jury.Berman said the decision to reject the request was based on the fact that the sealed grand jury materials contain a limited amount of information compared to what the DOJ has in its investigation files, writing that “the information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigation information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice.”  In addition, Berman stated that the only witness was an FBI agent “who had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case and whose testimony was mostly hearsay.” The agent testified over two days, on June 18 and July 2, 2019. The rest of the grand jury presentation consisted of a PowerPoint slideshow shown during the June 18 session and a call log shown during the July 2 session, which ended with grand jurors voting to indict Epstein. Both of those will also remain sealed, Berman ruled.

The committee subpoenaed the Justice Department recently for all files related to Epstein — who committed suicide in his jail cell in 2019; and Maxwell, who sat down for a two-day interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche weeks ago. House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., announced on Monday that the Justice Department will begin turning over the documents on Friday, and that congressional lawmakers are set to receive the first set of Epstein files within the coming days.

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Target CEO Brian Cornell, who has served as the company’s chief executive for more than a decade, will leave his role at the beginning of 2026, according to CNN. Cornell will officially be succeeded on February 1, 2026, by Michael Fiddelke — the Minneapolis-based retailer’s current chief operating officer who began his career at Target as an intern two decades ago.

Cornell said the board considered both internal and external candidates before selecting Fiddelke, calling him “the right leader to guide Target back to growth.” Cornell said in a statement on Wednesday: “With the board’s unanimous decision to appoint Michael Fiddelke as Target’s next CEO, I want to express my full confidence in his leadership and focus on driving improved results and sustainable growth. Michael brings a deep understanding of our business and a genuine commitment to accelerating our progress,” adding that he  will be staying on as executive chairman.

The transition comes at a turbulent time for Target, who has been losing ground to rivals like Walmart, Amazon, and Costco; and sales growth has weakened since the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped consumer habits. The retailer’s difficulties mirror broader challenges across the retail sector, as more shoppers gravitate toward online marketplaces and discount chains. Target, which operates 1,980 stores across the country, reported a 21% decline in net income for the quarter ending August 2, according to the Associated Press. Comparable sales have either fallen or remained flat in eight of the past ten quarters, underscoring ongoing struggles. Analysts point to value-driven competitors such as Walmart and TJ Maxx as additional pressure points on Target’s performance.

Cornell acknowledged a “challenging retail environment,” but he touted “encouraging signs of recovery, including improved traffic and sales trends.  As we enter the critical back-to-school and holiday seasons, our team remains focused on consistent execution and building momentum as we look ahead to the new year.”

Adding to the challenges, Target has faced consumer pushback this year after scaling back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The move drew criticism from multiple quarters, including Anne and Lucy Dayton, daughters of one of Target’s original co-founders, who called the decision “a betrayal.”

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