CBS News Contributor's Position in Jeopardy Following Epstein Email Disclosure
A recently announced contributor to CBS News may be terminated before even beginning his role, following the public release of embarrassing email exchanges with convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein over the weekend. The network had just last week revealed the names of nineteen experts who would appear across its various platforms, including Dr. Peter Attia, a physician specializing in longevity science.
Revelations From the Latest Epstein Document Release
Dr. Attia's association with the disgraced financier became public through the latest document dump related to Epstein, showing their relationship began approximately eight years after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution. A spokesperson for Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, indicated to media outlets that the network will likely terminate Attia's contributor position before it officially commences.
The released emails reveal a troubling dynamic between Attia and Epstein. In one particularly revealing message, Attia described the "biggest problem" about being friends with Epstein as "the life you lead is so outrageous, and yet I can't tell a soul." Another exchange included crude commentary about Epstein's lifestyle, with Attia making inappropriate remarks about dietary matters in relation to Epstein's activities.
Career Priorities Versus Family Emergency
Perhaps most concerning was Attia's admission that he prioritized his connection to Epstein over family obligations. According to the documents, Attia remained in New York to meet with Epstein while his wife and son were dealing with a serious medical emergency in another state, demonstrating the perceived importance of this relationship to his career aspirations.
Attia's Public Response and Defense
Although CBS had not officially announced Attia's removal as of Monday afternoon, the physician took to social media platform X to address the controversy in a lengthy statement. Attia began by apologizing for not addressing the matter sooner, explaining he wanted to be thorough in his response.
He insisted that he "did not participate in criminal activity, enable it, or witness it" in relation to Epstein's actions, emphasizing that he was never on Epstein's plane, never visited his private island, and never attended any parties involving sexual exploitation. However, Attia did acknowledge that some of his email exchanges were "embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible."
Specific Email Exchange Addressed
Attia specifically addressed one email thread with Epstein titled "Got a fresh shipment," which included a photograph of metformin medication that Attia had obtained for personal use. Epstein responded with the words "me too" alongside a photograph of an adult woman, to which Attia replied with what he now describes as "crude, tasteless banter."
"Reading that exchange now is very embarrassing, and I will not defend it," Attia stated in his social media post. "I'm ashamed of myself for everything about this. At the time, I understood this exchange as juvenile, not a reference to anything dark or harmful."
Context of the Relationship
Attia explained that he initially met Epstein in 2014 while fundraising for scientific research, describing the financier as someone who "was widely known in academic and philanthropic circles as a funder of science and moved openly among credible institutions and public figures." He admitted to meeting with Epstein seven or eight times between 2014 and 2019 in New York City.
The physician acknowledged being impressed by Epstein's connections to powerful figures in business and politics, as well as his extravagant lifestyle that included living in Manhattan's largest residence and owning a Boeing 727 aircraft. Attia described this level of access as "novel" to him at the time.
Questionable Judgment and Attempted Intervention
Attia admitted that being surrounded by high-profile individuals led him to "make assumptions about Epstein that clouded my judgment in ways it shouldn't have." Although he directly questioned Epstein about his 2008 conviction shortly after they met, Epstein reportedly minimized the prostitution-related charges.
According to Attia's statement, he became "repulsed" by what he learned about Epstein after reading a 2018 Miami Herald investigative report. He claims to have confronted Epstein directly, telling him he "needed to accept responsibility for what he did," and attempted to get Epstein to pay for residential care and lifelong therapy for his victims.
Reflection and Accountability
"In hindsight, even attempting to facilitate accountability was a mistake and, once again, reflected just how naive I was at the time," Attia wrote. "Once the full scope of his actions was clear, disengagement should have been the only appropriate response."
While insisting he doesn't want "a pass" from his followers or patients, Attia emphasized that "the man I am today roughly ten years later, would not write them and would not associate with Epstein at all." He concluded his statement by sharing that he had sent similar explanations to his professional team and patients, acknowledging their trust and the seriousness of his responsibility to them.
