DOJ-OGR-00021274.jpg
Extracted Text (OCR)
Case 22-1426, Document OR 100 3536038, Page102 of 258
Case 1:20-cr-00330-AJN Document 204-3 Filed 04/16/21 Page 100 of 348
and had added language waiving the preparation of a presentence investigation (PSI) “so he can
keep all of his information confidential. I have already told Jay that the PSI language . . . was
unacceptable to our office.” Of even greater significance, in a follow-up email, Villafafia noted
that the defense had removed both the requirement that Epstein plead to a registrable offense and
the entire provision relating to monetary damages under 18 U.S.C. § 2255.
In the afternoon, Villafafia circulated her own proposed “hybrid” plea agreement, first
internally to the management team with a note stating that it “contains the 18/12 split that Jay and
Andy agreed to,” and then to Lefkowitz. Regarding the prosecution of other individuals, she
included the following provision: “This agreement resolves the federal criminal liability of the
defendant and any co-conspirators in the Southern District of Florida growing out of any criminal
conduct by those persons known to the [USAO] as of the date of this plea agreement,” including
but not limited to the conspiracy to solicit minors to engage in prostitution.
In her email to Lefkowitz, transmitting the plea agreement, Villafafia wrote:
Could you share the attached draft with your colleagues. It is in
keeping with what Andy communicated to me was the operative
“deal.” The U.S. Attorney hasn’t had a chance to review all of the
language, but he agrees with it in principle.
[The West Palm Beach manager] and I will both be available at 2:00.
... One of my suggestions is going to be (again) that we all sit down
together in the same room, including Barry [Krischer] and/or Lanna
[Belohlavek], so we can hash out the still existing issues and get a
signed document.
Villafafia also emailed Acosta directly, telling him she planned to meet with Epstein’s
attorneys to work on the plea agreement, and asking if Acosta would be available to provide final
approval. Acosta replied, “I don’t think I should be part of negotiations. I’d rather leave it to you
if that’s ok.” Acosta told OPR that “absent truly exceptional circumstances,” he believed it was
important for him “to not get involved” in negotiations, and added, “You can meet, like I did in
September, [to] reaffirm the position of the office, [and] back your AUSA, but ultimately, I think
your trial lawyer needs discretion to do their job.” Villafafia told OPR, however, that she did not
understand Acosta to be giving her discretion to conduct the negotiations as she saw fit; rather, she
believed Acosta did not want to engage in face-to-face negotiations because “he wanted to have
an appearance of having sort of an arm’s length from the deal.”"'? Villafafia replied to Acosta’s
9 As noted throughout the Report, Villafafia’s interpretation of her supervisors’ motivations for their actions
often differed from the supervisors’ explanations for their actions. Because it involved subjective interpretations of
individuals’ motivations, OPR does not reach conclusions regarding the subjects’ differing views but includes them
as an indication of the communication issues that hindered the prosecution team. See Chapter Two, Part Three,
Section V.E.
74
DOJ-OGR-00021274
Document Details
| Filename | DOJ-OGR-00021274.jpg |
| File Size | 881.2 KB |
| OCR Confidence | 94.6% |
| Has Readable Text | Yes |
| Text Length | 3,318 characters |
| Indexed | 2026-02-03 20:09:46.182376 |