Origin and extent of alterations in the DoJ2021 image are unclear

Determine the origin and extent of the cropping and post-processing applied to the U.S. Department of Justice 2021 release (DoJ2021) of the photograph depicting Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre, and Ghislaine Maxwell, and reconstruct the editing history of that image from reproduction to publication.

Background

The paper examines multiple publicly available versions of the disputed photograph, noting that the DoJ2021 image appears heavily cropped and post-processed, with altered white balance and absent film grain. The author reports that legal documentation provides no transparency on the image editing history, necessitating reliance on the DM2023 version for computational analysis.

A comprehensive forensic evaluation typically requires a documented audit trail, which is missing here. Establishing the provenance and specific modifications to the DoJ2021 image would clarify its evidentiary value and address uncertainties about editorial intervention.