Dr. Peter Attia, who was recently named a CBS News contributor, released a lengthy statement to X-TV on Monday morning, calling his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “embarrassing.” Attia’s apparent friendship with Epstein was revealed through emails included in the Justice Department’s latest release of the Epstein files.
“The purpose of the Department of Justice in releasing these documents is clear: to identify individuals who participated in, enabled, or witnessed criminal activity. I do not fall into any of those categories, and there is no evidence to the contrary,” he wrote. “1. I have not been involved in any criminal activity. 2. My interactions with Epstein have nothing to do with his sexual abuse or exploitation of anyone. 3. I have never been on his plane, been on his island, or attended any of his sex parties.”
Mr. Attia went on to apologize for his interactions with Mr. Epstein. He called the emails “embarrassing, tasteless and indefensible.”
Mr. Attia, a prominent author, health influencer and prominent doctor, is mentioned more than 1,700 times in the latest set of files, which reveal correspondence with Mr. Epstein that continued long after the disgraced New York financier was hit with sex trafficking and prostitution charges. In a 2016 email to Leslie Groff, Mr. Epstein’s former assistant, Mr. Attia wrote, “When I don’t meet with him, I will be leaving JE.”
CBS News named Attia one of 19 new contributors on January 27th. The move is part of Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss’ mission to reinvent the program for the modern era of media and news production. Mr. Attia’s relationship with Mr. Epstein sparked a huge online backlash against CBS News. CBS has not yet confirmed whether Attia will continue to be a contributor.
