Architect Of Sweetheart Plea Deal Alex Acosta Denies Alleged Epstein Intelligence Ties
Alex Acosta, the former U.S. attorney who negotiated Jeffrey Epstein’s plea deal in 2008, denied knowledge of Epstein’s alleged ties to intelligence agencies during a closed-door interview with the House Oversight Committee.
The committee on Friday released the full transcript of Acosta’s Sept. 19 testimony, as part of its ongoing investigation into federal prosecutors’ handling of the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell cases. New Mexico Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury asked Acosta if he thought Epstein had ties to U.S. or foreign intelligence, a theory that has circulated for years surrounding the financier’s lenient treatment. (RELATED: Alex Acosta Finally Reveals Why He Offered Epstein Plea Deal)
“Steve Bannon publicly stated that you told him that Epstein, quote, ‘was in the intelligence services.’ Do you remember ever talking to Steve Bannon about Jeffrey Epstein? asked Stansbury. Acosta responded that he did not “remember ever talking to Bannon about Epstein.”
BOMB: Acosta Transcript Just DESTROYED Democrats’ Epstein-Trump Smear.
Garcia, ranking member, and @OversightDems I spent months pushing a LIE against President Trump.
🧵 Here are the receipts they don’t want you to see:
– Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) October 17, 2025
Stansbury asked Acosta if he had ever spoken with former White House strategist Steve Bannon. Acosta confirmed yes, but Epstein was never brought up.
“I didn’t know if that was the source of that anonymous quote from the White House,” Acosta said, referring to a claim that Epstein had ties to intelligence agencies. “I was asked about it. I didn’t know where it came from. I’ll take your word for it, it came from Mr. Bannon, but I don’t know where it came from. I never made that claim.”
Acosta said he has consistently denied the rumor, including at a press conference and in an interview with the Justice Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility, reiterating that he had “no knowledge as to whether or not he was a member of the intelligence community.”
Speculation about Acosta’s past remarks resurfaced in July when a reporter asked Attorney General Pam Bondi during a Cabinet meeting whether Epstein had been an intelligence agent. The question referenced an alleged statement attributed to Acosta, who served as labor secretary during the first Trump administration.
“I have no knowledge of that. We can get back to you on that,” Bondi said.
During his testimony, Stansbury asked Acosta to confirm whether he had ever said that Epstein “belonged to intelligence.” Acosta responded, “I didn’t.” Asked if anyone from the intelligence community contacted him during the Epstein investigation, Acosta responded, “No.”
Stansbury then asked if anyone from the CIA, NSA, State Department or the FBI’s intelligence division had ever contacted him about Epstein. Acosta answered “no” to each agency.
She then pressed further, asking whether Epstein could have been connected to foreign intelligence services, including Israel’s Mossad.
“Again, I don’t know if he did it or not,” Acosta said. “If you want to know that, you have to ask the intelligence community. I have not been approached by anyone in the intelligence community, and I have no knowledge of their membership in the intelligence community.”
3/ Did Trump nominate Acosta because of Epstein? No.
“Not at all, no.” (pg. 124)
Did Trump ask Acosta to resign? No.
“[It] it was my choice. No one at the White House suggested I resign.” (pg. 124)
This entire talking point was fabricated by the Democrats. pic.twitter.com/tehpEVa2la
– Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) October 17, 2025
Stansbury then asked Acosta if he had reason to believe that Epstein “was an asset to any domestic or foreign intelligence operation.”
“And if there had been secure information, procedures would have been triggered that never were,” Acosta responded.
Finally, Stansbury asked if anyone had ever told him that Epstein couldn’t be prosecuted because he was “an asset.” Acosta said, “No one has approached me and said that.”
The transcript concludes this exchange with a redacted name stating: “We can do this off the record. Thank you.”
