The House Oversight Committee on Friday released a transcript of its interview with Alex Acosta, the former U.S. attorney who negotiated a controversial plea deal with Jeffrey Epstein, alongside flight manifests from the disgraced financier’s private plane.
The interview took place in late September, with Acosta, who previously served as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, providing detailed insights into the 2008 agreement.
1/ Acosta NEVER talked to Trump about Epstein.
Not in person. Not on the phone. Not over email.
“He moved in circles that I did not move in.” (p. 65)
That’s straight from his testimony. pic.twitter.com/ZtxcwzsLhc
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) October 17, 2025
The released documents include flight manifests listing prominent figures such as Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, Walter Cronkite, and Richard Branson as passengers on Epstein’s private plane.
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None of these individuals have been accused of any wrongdoing.
Former President Bill Clinton also appeared multiple times in the manifests, including on at least one flight in 2002 accompanied by Secret Service agents.
Clinton is not accused of any wrongdoing.Acosta’s negotiation with Epstein in 2008 resulted in a plea deal that allowed the financier to avoid federal charges.
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Instead, Epstein served 13 months in jail and pleaded guilty to state charges.
As part of the agreement, he registered as a sex offender and paid settlements to victims.
During the interview, Acosta explained the decision, citing challenges with the case that could have jeopardized a conviction.
“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.”
Acosta further elaborated on the rationale behind the plea deal, expressing concern that Epstein might have escaped jail time entirely.
“Our judgment in this case, based on the evidence known at the time, was that it was better to have a billionaire serve time in jail, register as a sex offender and pay his victims restitution than risk a trial with a reduced likelihood of success,” Acosta said.
“I supported that judgment then, and based on the state of the law as it then stood and the evidence known at that time, I would support that judgment again.”
He noted that the state attorney in Florida “had let him off entirely.”
“And so our thinking at the time was, you know, the State attorney is letting him get away with this. The State attorney is asking pre-trial diversion. Unacceptable. Entirely unacceptable. But a billionaire going to jail sends a strong signal to the community that this is not acceptable, that this is not right, that this cannot happen,” Acosta said.
During the discussion, Acosta acknowledged that Epstein’s legal team “got awfully close to the line of unethical,” adding that he “resisted” some of their tactics.
The interview shed light on the complexities of the case and the strategic considerations at play during negotiations.
In 2019, while serving as United States Secretary of Labor, Acosta defended his role in the plea deal.
“Simply put, the Palm Beach state attorney’s office was ready to let Epstein walk free, no jail time,” Acosta claimed.
“Prosecutors in my former office found this to be completely unacceptable.”
He reflected on changes over time, stating, “We now have 12 years of knowledge and hindsight and we live in a very different world.”
“Today’s world treats victims very, very differently.”
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The release of the transcript and flight manifests has reignited interest in Epstein’s case, with the Oversight Committee continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the plea deal.
The documents provide a detailed record of the individuals associated with Epstein’s travels, though no allegations have been made against those named.
The committee’s efforts aim to ensure transparency and accountability in the handling of the case.
The interview with Acosta, conducted by committee members, lasted several hours and covered his tenure as U.S. attorney.
The flight manifests, spanning multiple years, offer a glimpse into Epstein’s social circle, though the focus remains on the legal proceedings that followed his arrest.
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The Oversight Committee has not yet announced further actions based on the released materials.
Epstein’s plea deal, negotiated over a decade ago, has been a subject of scrutiny, especially as new information has emerged about his crimes.
Acosta’s comments during the interview provide context for the decision-making process at the time, highlighting the evidentiary challenges and the pressure to secure some form of justice.
The release of these documents marks a significant step in the ongoing review of the case.As investigations continue, the House Oversight Committee is expected to release additional findings.
The public release of the transcript and manifests occurred on October 17, 2025, just before the weekend, allowing for widespread analysis of the contents.
The committee’s work is part of a broader effort to address past handling of high-profile cases involving influential figures.
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Why would Pres. Billy Bob Clinton fly to Lolita Island dozens of times? Official business with a pedophile pimp or with his side piece or with 14-year-olds?
You can bet everything that the Clinton’s used their ‘back door’ strategy (threats of how ling they would live) to intimidate the witnesses in order to get them to not testify and change their stories.
Finally we have some adults in the room not wearing tin-foil hats. Acosta’s explanation rings true. The Clintons would not have had to threaten the witnesses. These are victims of sexual abuse who very likely were eagerly involved without realizing how they were victimized and abused. Now, later in life, the understand. Their stories changed as the true story got pieced together, as their credibility increased and their trauma manifested itself. They became aware of what a cross-examination would do to them. It doesn’t matter that Bill Clinton might be a pedophile. American knew he was a serial rapist and sexual predator before he left the Governor’s mansion in Arkansas, but the Democrats elected him anyway. When he lied in office, when he targetted innocent people with military strikes to distract from news headlines, when he got BJs from Monica, the Dems laughed. They laughed at how ineffectual the Republicans were in trying to hold Clinton accountable. To this day, Bill and Hilary are Lib Icons, they can literally do no wrong with Democrats. So, what he did or didn’t do with Epstein doesn’t matter and never will. Move on. Let’s get busy with things we can actually accomplish.