The 2008 Plea Deal
The Non-Prosecution Agreement (NPA) a deal struck between U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta and Epstein's lawyers in 20072008 that allowed Epstein to avoid federal charges in exchange for a minor state-level sentence.
Timeline of the Agreement
Palm Beach Police begin an investigation after a complaint from the parents of a 14-year-old victim. Detective Joseph Recarey identifies at least 20 potential victims.
The FBI opens its own investigation. Evidence emerges supporting federal charges of sex trafficking.
Palm Beach County prosecutor charges Epstein with state-level solicitation of prostitution. Federal prosecutors continue negotiations.
Epstein's attorneys (Dershowitz, Black, Burman) negotiate with Alex Acosta on a deal. Acosta is the Bush-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.
The NPA is signed. The agreement is kept SECRET from victims. Epstein pleads guilty to only 2 state charges (solicitation of minors).
Epstein receives an 18-month sentence under the state charge but serves it under "work release" leaving 6 days a week for his office. He actually serves ~13 months.
Victims (Does 16) file suit claiming the deal violated the Crime Victims Rights Act. The case drags on for over a decade.
Miami Herald journalist Julie K. Brown publishes an investigation revealing the details of the deal. Acosta is forced to resign as Labor Secretary.
SDNY files new federal charges against Epstein, arguing the NPA only protected him from prosecution in the Southern District of Florida, not by SDNY.
A court rules that the secret agreement violated victims' rights. The NPA did not protect Epstein's co-conspirators.
Key Documents
Significance of the Deal
The 2008 plea deal is considered one of the most scandalous decisions in the American justice system in recent decades. It effectively granted Epstein protection from federal prosecution for 11 years. Miami Herald journalist Julie K. Brown, who first reported the full details of the deal in 2018, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for the investigation.