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Alexander Acosta is a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and later served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor. In 2008, he played a key role in brokering a non-prosecution plea deal with Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire accused of sex crimes with minors EFTA00018441. As part of the deal, Epstein pleaded guilty to state charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution and served 13 months in jail, while avoiding federal charges that could have resulted in a life sentence EFTA00147473. Acosta has defended the plea agreement, stating that it was the best deal given the evidence, but has faced criticism for his handling of the case, including allegations that he gave Epstein a lenient sentence and granted immunity to potential co-conspirators EFTA00097444.
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The federal plea deal in the Southern District of Florida that allowed Jeffrey Epstein to avoid federal charges for more than a decade — and the controversy that followed.
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