Alexander Acosta Non-Prosecution Agreement and Trump Labor Secretary Appointment

Alexander Acosta, who as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida negotiated Epstein's controversial 2008 non-prosecution agreement, was appointed Secretary of Labor by President Trump in February 2017. The plea deal granted Epstein immunity from federal sex trafficking charges in exchange for pleading guilty to state charges and serving 13 months in county jail with work-release. Acosta resigned on July 12, 2019 amid renewed scrutiny after Epstein's arrest. During vetting, Acosta reportedly told Trump's transition team he 'was told Epstein belonged to intelligence and to leave it alone.' A DOJ review found Acosta used 'poor judgment' but did not find professional misconduct.