A New York judge on Wednesday unsealed the identities of people linked in court documents to Jeffrey Epstein, the US financier who died by suicide in 2019 as he awaited trial for sex crimes.

The initial tranche includes 40 previously undisclosed documents with about 1,000 pages of depositions and statements, with the final library of documents expected to name prominent people.

Those named include a host of Epstein associates previously identified as John or Jane Does in a lawsuit brought against his partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, 62. It carries no allegation of complicity in Epstein's crimes.

Among the famous people in Epstein's orbit before he was exposed as a sexual predator were former presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, singer Michael Jackson and magician David Copperfield, according to the accounts of his victims and other witnesses who were quoted in the newly released documents.

The disclosure is part of a defamation proceeding between Maxwell, sentenced in 2022 to 20 years in prison, and a plaintiff against the pair, Virginia Giuffre.

There were also repetitions of well-known stories about Britain’s Prince Andrew. He was sued by one of Epstein's victims, Ms Giuffre, who said she had sexual encounters with the prince when she was 17. Prince Andrew, who denied the allegations, settled the lawsuit in 2022.

Last month a judge listed in a 50-page document about 180 cases – under pseudonyms – ordering that their identities be made public within 14 days of the order.

The judge has not set a target for when all of the documents should be made public, but more are expected to be released in the next few days.

Some have objected to the disclosure of their identities in the case.

Lawyers for one person, “Doe 107”, wrote to the case judge arguing they could face victimisation in their home country and requested time to submit grounds for their name to remain sealed.

According to British media, Ms Giuffre's defamation claim against Maxwell dates back to 2016 and was settled the following year. But The Miami Herald then took legal action to access the file and investigate the Epstein network.

Several documents in the case were made public in 2019, days before Epstein died by suicide in prison while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Maxwell and Epstein were a couple in the early 1990s before becoming professional collaborators and accomplices for almost three decades.

Epstein, a financier with a powerful network in the US and abroad, was accused of raping young girls, but his death by suicide in a New York prison in August 2019 halted his prosecution.

Fabricated lists and doctored photos of Epstein have circulated for years, fuelling speculation about the financier's potential associates.

The expected release of names from court documents reignited that frenzy.

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel threatened Aaron Rodgers with legal action after the American football star suggested the US late-night host could be on the list.

The baseless allegation echoed across platforms such as X, where numerous posts also drew actor Tom Hanks into the fold.