Among the numerous celebrities and politicians who appear in photos made public on Friday by the Department of Justice’s partial release of the infamous Epstein files are images of queer New York City-based drag artist and burlesque dancer Tigger-James Ferguson, according to the British tabloid The Daily Mail.

In a statement given exclusively to LGBTQ Nation, Ferguson disavowed any involvement with Epstein and said the images were taken from a nearly 20-year-old public performance at a now-closed New York City restaurant. He initially called the inclusion of his photos a seeming “ridiculous, despicable” attempt at peddling anti-queer rage-bait and threatened possible legal action against the parties responsible. However, he has since discovered that the DOJ released seven pics of his performance in their files, and he acknowledged that Epstein or his associates may have taken the pictures at the performance.

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Meanwhile, Congress members have accused Trump’s DOJ of a cover-up and threatened consequences for the department’s defiance of the bipartisan congressional law requiring the complete release of all Epstein-related files by December 19.

The photos on The Daily Mail’s recap included images of well-known figures like Michael Jackson, Sir Mick Jagger, Kevin Spacey, former President Bill Clinton, Chris Tucker, Diana Ross, Walter Cronkite, Ferguson, and others. Though the publication didn’t name Ferguson by name, Ferguson’s friends informed him of his inclusion in the tabloid’s coverage.

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In a public Facebook post published on Sunday, December 21, Ferguson wrote, “It seems that old photos of me performing #burlesque in Manhattan have been published by trash like the Daily Mail & presented as if they’re part of the #EpsteinFiles – WTF!?!”

Ferguson wrote that the images are of him performing his “Lily La Tigresse” act, which he has done since 1998.

“That specific show would’ve been on July 14, sometime from 2004-2007, at one of the annual Bastille Day parties at the legendary #RestaurantFlorent (which sadly closed in 2008),” he wrote. “Many marvelous downtown NY artists performed on that diner countertop while the patrons ate their French food & drank & laughed & cheered us on. We all knew & loved Florent Morellet, the owner, as well as the staff who worked there.”

“These pictures don’t make any sense being a part of those files. Whomever released these carefully selected images must‘ve decided to toss in the random, unrelated pics of me because they believe that the sight of a gay man in makeup taking his clothes off in public is scandalous enough to outrage their mouth-breathing base,” he continued. “I guess they’re still trying to peddle the ridiculous, despicable fiction that drag queens = p*dophiles.”

“My image has been used for right wing rage bait several times before,” he concluded, “but nothing quite like this. Talk about a distraction from the issue! Release the real files, unredacted & undoctored! #releasethefiles”

In a statement to LGBTQ Nation, Ferguson wrote, “I have no way of knowing who might have done this. It could’ve been someone at The Daily Mail or the DOJ. Or somewhere else & then The Daily Mail just picked it up & ran with it.”

“I am grateful that whomever it was did such a sloppy job,” he continued. “It is easily provable that these photos are from the old Bastille Day parties at Restaurant Florent in the Meatpacking District about 20 years ago. It is also obvious that my pictures are just being used as a rage-bait distraction & they have nothing whatsoever to do with Epstein or trafficking. I most definitely have never met nor had any involvement with Epstein or Maxwell or any of those monsters.”

“It sure seems like libel to me,” he concluded. “They didn’t name me and (as far as I know) did not say that where I was nor that I did anything. But they are using my photos dishonestly to paint a picture, and the ugly implications are clear. I will speak with a lawyer friend before I consider any legal action.”

In a follow-up comment given to LGBTQ Nation on Monday, Ferguson wrote that a friend of his found seven images of his performance in the DOJ’s files. Ferguson also acknowledged that the pics may have been taken by Epstein of his associate during the performance.

“However, that does not change the sleazy, exploitative use of my photos by The Daily Mail,” he wrote. “I stand by everything else I said about my photos being used as a tool for outrage & distraction. And intentionally suggesting that I might’ve had some connection to him when I was doing a legitimate professional performance in a show. And I still think they wanted to use those images to perpetuate that loathsome lie equating gay men & drag queens with pedophiles.”

Bipartisan criticism of the DOJ for breaking the law requiring the release of files

CNN anchor Jake Tapper criticized the DOJ’s heavily redacted documents, saying some were “just 100 pages of redaction” and noting that the DOJ released just 10% of its total files on Epstein (and that many of the released files were from court documents already in the public record).

The congressional law requiring the files’ release required the DOJ to explain its justification for every single redaction and to release the files in a searchable format. The DOJ’s search tool for the documents was reportedly inoperable. The DOJ has also said that its redactions are solely to protect the victims.

Over the weekend, 16 items in the files, including two photos of Trump, disappeared from the DOJ website. The photos showed Trump surrounded by a group of women in bathing suits, and Trump with first lady Melania Trump, Epstein, and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000. Trump recently relocated Maxwell to a lower-security prison. Soon after, she said Trump wasn’t involved in Epstein’s misdeeds.

Explaining its redactions, the DOJ wrote, “Photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information.”

Republican Congress members criticized the DOJ’s partial release of the files.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) called it a “big mistake” for Trump‘s DOJ to release heavily redacted files, saying the issue could now “plague them for months,” The Hill reported. “Any evidence or any kind of indication that there’s not a full reveal on this, this will just plague them for months and months more,” he said. “So, my suggestion would be: Give up all the information … be transparent and release everything the law requires of you.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said Congress should charge Attorney General Pam Bondi with “inherent contempt,” which would subject her to a fine for every day she fails to release the complete documents.

Update (12/22/25): This article has been updated with additional facts and comments about more of Ferguson’s pictures being among the DOJ’s files.

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