Dershowitz as Defense Attorney
Alan Dershowitz was the most prominent member of Jeffrey Epstein’s 2008 defense team that negotiated the Non-Prosecution Agreement with US Attorney Alex Acosta. The team also included:
- Kirkland & Ellis partners Roy Black and Gerald Lefcourt
- Multiple other attorneys
Dershowitz played a key public role, making media appearances defending the NPA and arguing that Epstein had been treated too harshly even under the deal.
The Accusation
Virginia Roberts Giuffre alleged in civil litigation that Ghislaine Maxwell arranged for her to have sex with Dershowitz on multiple occasions when she was 17:
- At Epstein’s New York mansion
- At Epstein’s Palm Beach home
- On Epstein’s private island
Dershowitz vigorously denied these allegations, calling them completely false.
The Legal Battle
The Dershowitz case became one of the most contested peripheral battles in the Epstein litigation:
Giuffre’s position: She was clear and consistent in identifying Dershowitz as someone she was directed to have sex with. Her description of the circumstances was detailed and specific.
Dershowitz’s counter: He hired private investigators to gather material on Giuffre, filed complaints against her attorneys, and went to extraordinary lengths to discredit her. He claimed flight records showed he could not have been at the locations Giuffre described at the times she described.
The 2024 Giuffre Reversal
In a 2024 statement, Virginia Giuffre indicated she may have been “mistaken” in her accusations against Dershowitz. This reversal was widely commented upon and raised questions about the circumstances under which it was made. Giuffre had simultaneously disclosed serious health challenges.
Dershowitz’s Broader Campaign
Beyond his legal defense, Dershowitz:
- Filed bar complaints against attorneys who represented Giuffre
- Published extensively defending himself and attacking Giuffre’s credibility
- Appeared on numerous media platforms to present his version of events
- Wrote a book about the case from his perspective
The NPA Role Revisited
Dershowitz’s role in negotiating the 2008 NPA that prosecutors now acknowledge violated the CVRA has been scrutinized extensively. Whether the NPA’s sweeping immunity provisions were intentionally structured to protect Dershowitz himself is a question that legal scholars have raised.