Epstein Secrets

• • I I B. Acosta Exercised Poor Judgment When He Failed to Ensure That Victims Identified in the Federal Investigation Were Informed of the State Plea Hearing Althoug

ble sharing any information about the case.” Villafana also told OPR that because of “all of these concerns and instructions that I had been given by Alex [Acosta] and Jeff [Sloman] not to disclose things further and not to have any involvement in victim notification,” she felt “prohibited” from providing additi

activity with him at his Palm Beach, Florida estate. The Miami Herald reported that in 2007, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, R. Alexander Acosta, entered into an “extraordinary” deal with Epstein that permitted Epstein to avoid federal prosecution and a potentially lengthy prison sentence by p

notify the victims, “OPR identified no reason why Secretary Acosta should have distrusted his team on these points.”

legations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation. i Attachment(s): Download U.S, v Jeffrey Epstein Indictment Topic(s): Project Safe Childhood Component(s): USAO - New York. Southern Press Release Number: 19-211 i Updated July 9, 2019 CA/Aronberg-0009.18 FILED: PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL, JOSEPH

o asserted that OPR “misunderstands and devalues Secretary Acosta’s very real and legitimate interest in the develo

afaña opined, “This is NOT good faith negotiations.” Lourie responded that he would “reach out to Alex to discuss.” Lourie immediately emailed Acosta the following: I looked at the latest draft from Jay [Lefkowitz] and I must agree with Marie. Based on my own conversations with him, his draft is

n for work release because his sexual offender registration would not take place 177 Letter from R. Alexander Acosta “To whom it may concern” (Mar. 20, 2011), published online in The Daily Beast. The FBI Special Agent in Charge told OPR that he had no recollection

attorneys [ ] [became] something to consider. . . . . I think that the ability of Alan Dershowitz and Ken Starr and Jay Lefkowitz to convince Alex Acosta that I didn’t know what I was talking [about] also, all came into play. So I think there were a number of factors and it all came together. Altho

ta’s and Sloman’s “concerns about taking this case because of [the P]etit policy and a number of legal issues” and Acosta’s concerns about “hurting Project Safe Childhood.” Defense counsel raised myriad legal and factual challenges in their voluminous letters to the USAO. Defense submissions attacked the legal theo

lectronic version and I no longer have (or never had) copy of the original. For example, I often drafted letters for the signatures of Jeff , and Alex Acosta. Their assistants would have maintained the signed originals. In some cases, I would be provided with copies and sometimes I would not. I would usu

ious punishment in Palm Beach County state court. That possibility troubled me greatly; hence, my request to meet with executive mans ement. Messrs. Acosta and had the same reaction that I had the first time tha told me about Mr. Epstein — if I have never heard of him, how much influence could this pe

ccused FAUSA (and me) of promising money to l victim in exchange for her willingness to accuse Epstein. Page 9 of 58 EFTA00225052 U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta (now Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor): USA Acosta served as the head of the U.S. Attorney's Office throughout the investigation of Jeffre

Epstein may have been involved in the manufacture and/or possession of child pornography. Eradication of child pornography was I particular focus of Project Safe Childhood; its production and storage on computer equipment involved the use of items produced in interstate and foreign commerce; and child pornc ty was of

Sloman regarding inquiries from State Attorney's Office regarding Epstein plea to state charge and facts supporting state plea 12/21/2007 11. Al Acostaer exand Jay Lefkowitz Knowledge of "list" of alleged victims is limited. Proposal deprives Epstein of his opportunity to test the validity of these

e handling of the investigation by the State Attorney's Office 1/3/2008 I :.mails between Marie Villafatia, Alex Acosta, and Jeff Sloman regarding Alex Acosta telephone conference with Jay Lefkowitz where Lefkowitz admitted that he never intended to have Epstein plead guilty to an offense that required se

ttorneys also falsely accused FAUSA Sloman (and me) of promising money to a victim in exchange for her willingness to accuse Epstein. U.S. Aftorney R. Alexander Acosta (now Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor): USA Acosta served as the head of the U.S. Attorney's Office throughout the investigation of Jeffre

Epstein may have been involved in the manufacture and/or possession of child pornography. Eradication of child pornography was a particular focus of Project Safe Childhood; its production and storage on computer equipment involved the use of items produced in interstate and foreign commerce; and child pornography was

ibit B-20.) Based upon those attacks, which relied upon the videotaped statement given by Individual #28, I was instructed by either Jeff Sloman or Alex Acosta, not to consider Individual #28 as a victim for purposes of the NPA because she was not someone whom the Office was prepare to include in an indictm

ictims (Exhibits B-46, B-47, B-48). I provided my draft victim notification letter to FAUSA Sloman and USA Acosta (Exhibits B-47, B-48).4° Since Mr. Acosta had agreed in December 2007 that we would not provide written notice of the state change of plea, the written victim notifications were prepared to

rse of this examination and express the heartfelt regards ofAlself and Special Agents Kuyrkendall and Richards for the health and well-being of Ms. M. R. ALEXANDER ACOSTA UNITED STATES ATTORNEY By: A. MARIE VILLAFARA ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY cc: Jack Goldberger, Esq. EFTA00225558 U.S. Department of Justice Uni

borhood prosecutors. In January 2004, AUSA Villafafia transferred to the West Palm Beach Office. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Justice initiated Project Safe Childhood, and, in recognition of her expertise in child exploitation matters, AUSA Villafalia became the Southern District of Florida's first Project Safe C

ought the matter to an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA), who opened a file with her supervisor’s approval and with the knowledge of then U.S. Attorney R. Alexander Acosta. She worked with two FBI case agents to develop a federal case against Epstein and, in the course of the investigation, they discovered additional

ttle the case, the parties’ cross motions for summary judgment remained pending for more than a year. In 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Acosta to be Secretary of Labor. At his March 2017 confirmation hearing, Acosta was questioned only briefly about the Epstein case. On April 17, 2017,

thy substantive email about the case to her immediate supervisor, Lourie, Sloman, and Acosta on August 23, 2006, Lourie emailed Sloman: “Do you and Alex [Acosta] want her updating you on the case?” Sloman responded, “At this point, I don’t really care. If Alex says something then I’ll tell her to just run

he child exploitation cases in West Palm Beach, along with other criminal matters. In 2006, she was designated as the USAO’s first coordinator for Project Safe Childhood, a new Department initiative focusing on child sexual exploitation and abuse.2 In 2006, Villafaña assumed responsibility for the Epstein investig

one count of willfully deceiving the FBI about the criminal activity of others when he was interviewed in 2017 and 2018." According to the charge, "Acosta failed to disclose in interviews with agents benefits both he and Sandoval received from another person - identified only as Individual A - includin

ed online as a woman named Mary and communicated with the teenager from South Dakota." The Oregonian says "the FBI investigated the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a national program started by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual abuse and exploitation." Maine Woman Charged By FBI Wi

dhood Importance: High Morning, Marie FYI -- February project on Project Safe Childhood. Let's stay in touch on this. aov Original Message From: Acosta, Alex (USAFLS) Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 5:11 PM To: Valle, Alicia (USAFLS); Sloman, Jeff (USAFLS) Subject: Fw: PSAs on Project Safe Chil

C. (USAFLS) From: Villafana, Ann Marie C. (USAFLS) Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2006 10:26 AM To: Valle, Alicia (USAFLS) Subject: RE: PSAs on Project Safe Childhood Tracking: Recipient Valle, Alicia (USAFLS) Read Read: 11/16/2006 10:27 AM Thanks, Alicia. No one has approached me about PSAs, but a local atto

dhood Importance: High Morning, Marie FYI -- February project on Project Safe Childhood. Let's stay in touch on this. aov Original Message From: Acosta, Alex (USAFLS) Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 5:11 PM To: Valle, Alicia (USAFLS); Sloman, Jeff (USAFLS) Subject: Fw: PSAs on Project Safe Chil

To: Villafana, Ann Marie C. (USAFLS) Cc: Lourie, Andrew (USAFLS) Subject: FW: PSAs on Project Safe Childhood Importance: High Morning, Marie FYI -- February project on Project Safe Childhood. Let's stay in touch on this. aov Original Message From: Acost