New allegations are being made in the Jeffrey Epstein case…but this time, someone else is the target.
According to a newly-released report, the Department of Justice believes that former Labor Secretary Alex Acosta used “poor judgment” while he was in charge of the investigation into the financier, who was later convicted of sex abuse crimes.
The situation began in 2008, when Epstein was facing state charges and Acosta served as state attorney.
At the time, Epstein avoided a long jail sentence by making a deal called a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with Acosta, to plead guilty to charges of “soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution” at his Palm Beach estate.
Statement on DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility Report on Jeffrey Epstein 2006-2008 Investigation https://t.co/G9GKbbQ65B
— Justice Department (@TheJusticeDept) November 12, 2020
It is the use of the NPA which the Justice Department calls “poor judgement” on Acosta’s part, even though it wasn’t based on any favors.
Nonetheless, the report says that the agreement became “a flawed mechanism for satisfying the federal interest that caused the government to open its investigation of Epstein.”
He ended up serving 13 months at the Palm Beach County Jail instead.
Additionally, the DOJ report found that none of the prosecutors involved in the case had committed any misconduct with the victims.
Epstein hanged himself in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019, while awaiting trial on federal sex abuse charges.