New details about Epstein's lenient plea deal revealed in DOJ files

Politics New details about Epstein's lenient plea deal and jail term emerge from DOJ files By Daniel Ruetenik Daniel Ruetenik Producer, Investigative Unit Daniel Ruetenik is a producer with CBS News' Investigative Unit, reporting for all CBS News platforms. Read Full Bio Daniel Ruetenik April 6, 2026 / 1:56 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Jeffrey Epstein's controversial 2008 plea deal for charges including soliciting a minor for prostitution has long drawn scrutiny, and newly released details are raising further questions about the months he spent on work release from a Florida jail.Epstein pleaded guilty and surrendered to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office in July 2008. Dozens of accusers from several states, many underage at the time of the alleged crimes, had been prepared to testify against him on federal sex trafficking charges, but the case was shelved in exchange for his agreement to plea to lesser state charges in Florida. Many survivors of Epstein's crimes and other critics of the plea agreement have called it a "sweetheart deal."After serving fewer than four months in jail, Epstein was granted a special arrangement that allowed him to leave custody for up to 16 hours a day, six days a week, as part of a work release program, allegedly to perform work at a charitable organization he had just established called the Florida Science Foundation. This continued for the next nine months until his release to a year of supervised house arrest in July 2009. Each day during his work release, Epstein was transported between the jail and an office in downtown West Palm Beach by his bodyguard and driver, Igor Zinoviev. His personal attorney, Darren Indyke, was listed as his official supervisor at the job. Epstein agreed to hire off-duty sheriff's deputies to monitor his movements, log visitors and provide security at his office and home. According to documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, his SUV used for these trips wa...