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EDITORIAL: Sleazy perp, sleazier deal 
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The agreement thus placed the Department of Justice in a role similar to those of the four women who 
procured girls for Epstein. If there's a precedent in this or any of the other 92 United States attorney's 
offices, we'd like to hear it. Not surprisingly, R. Alexander Acosta also agreed not to prosecute those 
women. 
PalmBeachPost.com 
EDITORIAL: Sleazy perp, sleazier deal 
Palm Beach Post Editorial 
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 
€u PRINTTHIS 
On the second page of the secret deal between federal prosecutors and Jeffrey 
Epstein, we read that the agreement will serve the interests of "the United States, the 
State of Florida, and the Defendant." Wrong on the first two, right on the third. 
Until Friday, the public didn't know the terms of the deal that finalized the case of 
the Palm Beacher who arranged to have girls brought to his house for sex and 
massages. Only Epstein's platoon of lawyers, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the 
Southern District of Florida and the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office knew the details. And 
now we know why the perpetrators of this outrage didn't want the public to know. 
The deal is an indictment of a system that did much more for a criminal than 
Postyour for his victims. Jeffrey Epstein - officially a registered sex offender but in 
comments plain terms a pervert - escaped what should have been serious prison time. 
Instead, the federal deal allowed him to plead guilty to light charges in state 
court. He spent just 13 months - nights only - in the Palm Beach County Jail. 
Meanwhile, the government tried to help Epstein buy off the young girls 
whom Epstein had exploited. 
Several of those girls have filed civil suits against Epstein. (Their lawyers and 
lawyers for The Post sued to make the plea deal public.) In the agreement, the 
government proposes to identify all the alleged victims and steer them to a 
lawyer, whose expenses Epstein would pay. In return, however, the victims 
would withdraw all lawsuits from state court and agree to a settlement in 
federal court of no more than $150,000 each. Even then, of course, Epstein 
would not acknowledge any "liability." 
If the outcome is frustrating, so is the lack of accountability. Mr. Acosta's name is on the deal, but he's 
now the dean of Florida International University's law school. A call to his office for comment Monday 
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EDITORIAL: Sleazy pap, sleazier deal 
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was not returned. The name of Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Marie Villafana is on the deal. She still works 
as a federal prosecutor in West Palm Beach, but Alicia Valle, the office's special counsel, said in an e-
mail, "We cannot comment on your questions." Didn't she really mean will not? 
This case got into the federal system because former Palm Beach Police Chief Michael Reiter believed 
that Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer wasn't moving aggressively enough. Mr. 
Krischer retired last year. The assistant state attorney who oversaw the case is no longer with the office. 
At this point, the public must hope that the civil suits suck as much money from Epstein as possible. 
Money seems to be all that he understands. Also, Jeffrey Sloman is serving as the acting U.S. attorney 
for the Southern District of Florida until President Obama nominates a permanent replacement for 
confirmation by the Senate. It would be good to know that whoever follows Mr. Acosta is on record that 
the Jeffrey Epstein deal did not serve the interests of the United States. 
Find this article at: 
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