A federal judge warned that sealed records in a sex-trafficking lawsuit against the bank Jeffrey Epstein used could expose Justice Department documents and court files identifying alleged co-conspirators, adding another layer to the continuing legal fight over what parts of the Epstein record should remain public.

U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff issued a protective order Monday in Jane Doe v. FirstBank Puerto Rico, a case that alleges the bank was Epstein's longest banking partner and knowingly funded his sex-trafficking operation.

The order put all parties on notice that the court is "unlikely to seal or otherwise afford confidential treatment" to any discovery material introduced as evidence at trial, even if it had previously been designated confidential.

Rakoff added that he retains "unfettered discretion" over documents filed in connection with any motion, meaning records could become public before trial.

The warning comes as the Justice Department separately fights to keep co-conspirator identities hidden, underscoring how the bank case could intersect with broader efforts to control disclosure in Epstein-related proceedings.

Last month, according to court records, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was ordered by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan to release more Epstein files, including the unredacted names of potential co-conspirators, or explain why he refused.

On July 2, Blanche refused, arguing in a court filing that releasing additional materials would harm Epstein's victims and offering instead to share more details with a judge behind closed doors.

In a separate proceeding, a federal judge also ruled to keep the identities of two women permanently sealed. Prosecutors had identified them as Epstein "co-conspirators" whose names had been publicly associated with his alleged sexual assault of girls and young women for two decades, the Associated Press reported.

In a 2019 court filing, prosecutors said Epstein paid the two women $100,000 and $250,000 in late 2018.

From 2011 through 2019, the new lawsuit alleges, Epstein sexually abused the lead plaintiff on at least 100 occasions, including forcibly touching her, raping her, and forcing her to engage in sexual acts with other women.

The complaint says Epstein and his co-conspirators constantly reminded her of his power and influence, a detail that sits at the center of the case's broader claim that the bank ignored warning signs while maintaining ties to his network.

It also alleges that FirstBank processed wire transfers to pay "co-conspirators whose role in the venture was the recruitment, transportation, and control of women and girls." The late-2018 payments to the two sealed women fall within the $21 million in transactions the suit says the bank processed after JPMorgan exited Epstein in 2013.

First BanCorp, FirstBank's parent company, said in a statement that both firms "categorically deny the claims alleged in the complaint and intend to vigorously defend against them."

Defendants FirstBank Puerto Rico and FirstBanCorp have until July 30 to file a motion to dismiss the case.