The feds are hesitant to pursue criminal charges against powerful men named in the Jeffrey Epstein files because they aren’t confident they can secure a conviction … at least according to investigative reporter Tara Palmeri.

Tara’s been covering the Epstein case for years now, and she joined us on “TMZ Live” Monday to give us her read on the DOJ/FBI memo announcing no “further disclosure” and no investigations against uncharged third parties.

While Tara agrees there’s no client list, she says the FBI definitely has evidence linking the rich and powerful to Epstein’s prostitution ring … but she says the memo makes them sound gun-shy about prosecuting.

Tara says there’s some uncertainty about whether the women Epstein pimped out were underage or not .. and she believes the government’s massive whiff in the Diddy sex trafficking case is giving the FBI pause about pursuing similar cases here.

If the feds can’t make sex trafficking charges stick with Diddy, Tara thinks there’s concern they wouldn’t be able to get convictions against much richer and more powerful men with even better defense teams — not that Diddy’s was lacking.

This may be the end of the road with the Epstein case — aside from Elon Musk fanning the flames here and there on social media — because Tara tells us why Epstein victims aren’t clamoring to work with the feds again.