Epstein documents: House committee releases transcript with former US attorney who negotiated plea deal

The House Oversight committee on Friday released a transcript of its interview with the former U.S. attorney who initially negotiated a controversial plea deal with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Members of the oversight committee conducted the interview with Alex Acosta in late September, who previously served as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

Acosta helped Epstein in 2008 secure a plea deal that avoided federal charges by serving 13 months in jail and pleading guilty to state charges. Under the deal, Epstein registered as a sex offender and paid settlements to victims.

In explaining the plea agreement, Acosta claimed the case against Epstein was plagued with issues that may hinder a conviction.

EPSTEIN DOCUMENTS RELEASED BY HOUSE DEMOCRATS NAME ELON MUSK, STEVE BANNON AND PETER THIEL

File photo of Jeffrey Epstein in New York City on Feb. 23, 2011. (David McGlynn)

"And so in part it was influenced by that, and in large part it was also influenced by the viability of the case. Every attorney that looked at the case, from the prosecuting attorney, again, through the entire chain, looked at the evidence, and there were evidentiary issues with the victims," Acosta said. "Many victims refused to testify. Many victims had changing stories. All of us understood why they had changing stories, but they did. And defense counsel would have – cross-examination would have been withering."

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Included in the document release by the House Oversight Committee are flight manifests for Epstein's private plane.