Architect Of Sweetheart Plea Deal Alex Acosta Denies Alleged Epstein Intelligence Ties

Alex Acosta, the former U.S. attorney who brokered Jeffrey Epstein’s 2008 plea deal, denied having any 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, part of its ongoing probe into how federal prosecutors handled the Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell cases. Democratic New Mexico Rep. Melanie Stansbury pressed Acosta on whether he believed Epstein had links to U.S. or foreign intelligence services, a theory that has circulated for years around the financier’s lenient treatment. (RELATED: Alex Acosta Finally Reveals Why He Offered Plea Deal To Epstein)

“Steve Bannon has publicly stated that you told him that Epstein, quote, ‘belonged to intelligence.’ Do you recall ever speaking to Steve Bannon about Jeffrey Epstein?” Stansbury asked. Acosta replied that he didn’t “recall ever speaking to Bannon about Epstein.”

BOMBSHELL: The Acosta transcript just DESTROYED the Democrats’ Epstein–Trump smear.

Ranking Member Garcia and @OversightDems have 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 pressed Acosta on whether he had ever spoken with former White House strategist Steve Bannon. Acosta confirmed that he had but Epstein was never discussed.

“I did not know if that was the source of that anonymous White House quote,” Acosta said, referring to a claim that Epstein had ties to intelligence agencies. “I’ve been asked about that. I didn’t know where it came from. I’ll take your word it came from Mr. Bannon, but I don’t know where it came from. I never made that assertion.”

Acosta said he had consistently denied the rumor, including during 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 he was or was not 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 asset. The question referenced an alleged statement attributed to Acosta, who served as Labor Secretary under the first Trump administration.

“I have no knowledge about that. We can get back to you on that,” Bondi said.

During his testimony, Stansbury asked Acosta to confirm whether he had ever said Epstein, “belonging to intelligence.” Acosta replied, “I have not.” When pressed on whether anyone from the intelligence community had contacted him during the Epstein investigation, Acosta answered, “No.”

Stansbury went on to ask whether anyone from the CIA, NSA, State Department, or the FBI’s intelligence division had ever contacted him about Epstein. Acosta responded “no” to each agency.

She then pressed further, asking whether Epstein might have been connected to any foreign intelligence services, including Israel’s Mossad.

“Again, I do not know if he did or did not,” Acosta said. “If you want to know that, you need to ask the intelligence community. I have not been approached by any member of the intelligence community, and I have no knowledge of his membership in the intelligence community.”

3/ Did Trump appoint Acosta because of Epstein? No.

“Not in the least bit, no.” (p. 124)

Did Trump ask Acosta to resign? No.

“[It] was my choice. It was not suggested by anyone at the White House that I resign.” (p. 124)

This entire talking point was fabricated by Democrats. pic.twitter.com/tehpEVa2la

— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) October 17, 2025

Stansbury then asked Acosta whether he had any reason to believe Epstein “was an asset for a domestic or foreign intelligence operation.”

“And if there was any secure information, procedures would have been triggered that were never triggered,” Acosta replied.

Finally, Stansbury asked if anyone had ever told him Epstein could not be prosecuted because he was “an asset.” Acosta said, “No one approached me and said that.”

The transcript concludes that exchange with a redacted name noting, “We can go off the record. Thank you.”