Former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida (2005-2009) who oversaw the controversial 2008 non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with Jeffrey Epstein. Despite FBI identification of at least 36 victims, the NPA allowed Epstein to plead guilty to two state prostitution charges, serve just 13 months in county jail with daily work release, and register as a sex offender, while granting blanket immunity to unnamed co-conspirators.
Served as U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Trump from 2017 to 2019. Resigned July 12, 2019, within days of Epstein federal indictment in New York after public outcry over his role in the plea deal.
A 2020 DOJ internal review concluded Acosta had demonstrated poor judgment in negotiating the agreement. In August 2025, the House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Acosta to testify as part of its broader investigation into the federal handling of the Epstein case. Acosta appeared before the committee on September 19, 2025, for an approximately six-hour closed interview.
Committee Chairman James Comer stated Acosta cooperated and provided useful information, while ranking Democrat Robert Garcia said Acosta refused to acknowledge that Epstein received a sweetheart deal or accept any responsibility toward survivors. In October 2025, Bloomberg News reported that newly surfaced email correspondence showed Acosta office did discuss potential financial crimes related to Epstein and that Acosta was copied on that correspondence, directly contradicting his September 2025 testimony that he did not recall any such discussions.