And Then There Were None: The Alexander Acosta Prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein
The Vanishing 53-Page Indictment
The Performance Begins
Acosta Arc of Events:
Approves extremely generous plea terms for serious sex trafficking crimes
Leaves as U.S. Attorney and gets unusually generous offer to be law school dean
Becomes Trump's Labor Secretary
In 2019, gives last press conference defending his actions, Trump announces his resignation, and then disappears from public sight
The story begins in 2005 when the Palm Beach Police Department started investigating reports that Jeffrey Epstein was sexually abusing underage girls. As U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Alexander Acosta was the man who oversaw the Jeffrey Epstein case. He was handling what should have been a career-defining prosecution. The FBI's "Operation Leap Year" had produced a 53-page indictment, identifying 36 victims—some as young as 14. Many of the girls had been lured from high school parking lots, only to be left wondering if the justice system even noticed them. Epstein faced the possibility of life in prison for sex trafficking charges. It was the kind of case that makes reputations—a chance to protect the vulnerable and hold a powerful predator accountable. Then something extraordinary happened. The 53-page indictment vanished.
Do We Need Rosemary's Baby to Explain This?
We don't need elaborate conspiracies involving dozens of coordinated actors. That's too complicated and only works in the movies and in the brains of conspiracy junkies.
Real-life favoritism and fixing usually involves just a few people. You get a speeding ticket and your buddy at city hall makes it disappear. You get a drunk driving arrest and the judge who was in the same fraternity as your uncle just gives you a stern warning.
"You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."
While these individually may involve only a few people, collectively they add up to something more substantial—but it's not a plan; just a way people do business.
And if you want to be part of the "club," you need to be a "team player."
The Deal That Defied Logic
What Epstein received in 2008 was unprecedented:
Pleaded guilty to just two state charges: soliciting prostitution and soliciting prostitution from someone under 18
Served only 13 months in county jail with work release privileges
Received immunity from all federal criminal charges
Got immunity for four named co-conspirators and any unnamed "potential co-conspirators"
Victims were never notified of the deal, violating the Crime Victims' Rights Act, which requires informing victims before finalizing such agreements
Legal experts called it "completely unprecedented" and "completely indefensible." As one prosecutor noted, violating victims' rights laws was something "even a first-year prosecutor would know better than to do."
Enter Our Protagonist
Alexander Acosta played the role of the prosecutor who could have been a hero. As U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, he had the power to ensure justice. Instead, he signed off on the arrangement that enabled Epstein's legal protection. Years later, when questioned about this decision, Acosta made a stunning admission: according to reporting from The Daily Beast and others, he said, during Trump's transition, that he had been told that Epstein "belonged to intelligence" and to "leave it alone."
What "belonged to intelligence" actually means is unclear—it could refer to being a CIA or FBI informant, or having connections to foreign intelligence services.
Later, the DOJ's Office of Professional Responsibility found no evidence of this.
The Evidence of What Happened
The documented timeline shows a dramatic reversal in the Epstein case:
Before: FBI builds comprehensive case with 53-page indictment and 36 identified victims After: Case disappears, unprecedented immunity deal, ongoing investigation shut down
Prosecutors don't typically grant immunity to unnamed co-conspirators without explanation. They don't usually violate the Crime Victims' Rights Act. They don't normally shut down ongoing FBI investigations involving substantial evidence.
A Convenient Refuge During the Democratic Administration 2009–2017
When the Bush term ended in 2009, Acosta left government and became dean at Florida International University. At 40, he was noted as "surely one of the youngest law school deans in the country."
Law school deanships typically go to scholars with extensive teaching records and published research, or at minimum, professors with years of university experience. Acosta had spent his short career as a prosecutor and government lawyer. His academic credentials consisted of his law degree and a brief stint as an adjunct professor. Yet somehow, right when he needed an exit from government service, a prestigious academic position materialized. The timing was remarkably convenient.
The Performance Continues
Acosta's career advanced after the Epstein case. In 2017, when Trump needed a Labor Secretary after his first choice withdrew, White House counsel Don McGahn—a fellow Federalist Society member—recommended Acosta.
When the Trump transition team asked about potential confirmation problems, Acosta explained, in regard to Epstein, he'd been told to "leave it alone." The transition team found this explanation sufficient and proceeded with his nomination.
The Logic Breaks Down
When Epstein was re-arrested in 2019, Acosta defended his actions at a press conference, claiming he "proceeded appropriately." When pressed about being told to "leave it alone," he became evasive.
His explanations conflicted with the documented record: the FBI had prepared a comprehensive 53-page case, yet he approved what legal experts called a "completely indefensible" deal.
The Timeline That Raises Questions
Looking at Acosta's career progression:
2008: Approves unprecedented plea deal despite strong FBI case 2009: Becomes law school dean at unusually young age 2017: Appointed to Trump's Cabinet 2019: Resigns after Epstein re-arrest, offers contradictory explanations about his original decision
The Real Victims
While Acosta desperately tries to rehabilitate his reputation, the actual victims remain largely invisible. They were "left feeling confused and ill-treated by the government," as the Department of Justice's own report acknowledged.
The 2020 DOJ report found that Acosta showed "poor judgment" but cleared him of misconduct. Where was the accountability? The system that failed the victims continued to reward those who engineered that failure.
The Final Disappearance
Perhaps the most telling detail comes after 2019. Following Acosta's resignation and final press conference defending the Epstein deal, he seems to have vanished from public life entirely.
For someone with Acosta's resume and connections, this absence is notable. Former Cabinet Secretaries typically land at law firms, corporate boards, think tanks, or media roles. Acosta has apparently done... none of these things.¹
The Cabal?
And if you are looking for dots that connect, the Federalist Society appears at every turn in this story.
Further Reading:
Julie K. Brown, Perversion of Justice
The Daily Beast, "Acosta Claimed Epstein 'Belonged to Intelligence'"
DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility Report, 2020
Miami Herald's "Perversion of Justice" investigative series
Edit: This analysis was developed independently as I learned about this case for the first time. After completing it, I discovered that Julie K. Brown's Miami Herald 'Perversion of Justice' series and book had previously exposed many aspects of the Epstein plea deal. While I hadn't read her work during my research, her journalism clearly deserves recognition for bringing this scandal to light.
¹ As of 2025, Acosta reportedly joined the board of Newsmax Inc., a conservative media company. He has otherwise apparently remained out of public life.