Alexander Acosta

Background

Robert Alexander Acosta (born January 16, 1969) is an American attorney who served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida from 2005 to 2009. In that role, Acosta oversaw the negotiation of the controversial 2008 non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with Jeffrey Epstein that allowed Epstein to plead guilty to state charges and serve just 13 months in county jail with a work-release arrangement, rather than face potential federal sex trafficking charges.

The NPA was widely criticized for being excessively lenient and for being negotiated without notifying Epstein's victims, in violation of the Crime Victims' Rights Act (CVRA). Acosta later served as U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Trump from 2017 to 2019. He resigned in July 2019, days after Epstein's arrest on new federal charges, amid renewed scrutiny of the 2008 plea deal. A Department of Justice Office of Professional Responsibility review found that Acosta exercised "poor judgment" in handling the Epstein case but did not commit professional misconduct.

Key Facts

• Negotiated the controversial 2008 non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with Epstein
• U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida (2005-2009)
• Served as U.S. Secretary of Labor (2017-2019)
• Resigned from cabinet position in July 2019 amid Epstein case scrutiny
• DOJ review found he exercised 'poor judgment' in the Epstein case
• NPA was found to violate the Crime Victims' Rights Act

Connection to Documents

Alexander Acosta appears in the archive in DOJ disclosures related to the non-prosecution agreement, in the Inspector General's review of the NPA, in congressional correspondence demanding explanations for the plea deal, and in court filings from victims challenging the agreement under the Crime Victims' Rights Act.

Related Document Categories

Related Documents in Archive(3)