Medical Expert Faces Backlash Over Epstein Communications
Longevity specialist Dr. Peter Attia has publicly addressed controversial email exchanges with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, expressing deep regret over what he described as “embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible” correspondence. The messages surfaced in recently released court documents related to Epstein’s criminal case.
Controversial Email Exchange Revealed
Records show Attia maintained communication with Epstein years after the financier’s 2008 guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from a minor. In a particularly crude 2016 message, Attia made a dietary reference to Epstein’s lifestyle, writing: “P**** is, indeed, low carb. Still awaiting results on gluten content.”
Attia specifically addressed a June 2015 email thread titled “Got a fresh shipment,” explaining the subject referred to medication he’d obtained for personal use. “He replied with ‘me too’ and attached a photograph of an adult woman,” Attia stated in his public apology. “I responded with crude, tasteless banter that I’m ashamed of today.”
Employment Status Under Review
The revelations emerged days after CBS News announced Attia as one of 19 new contributors. Sources familiar with internal discussions indicate network executives are evaluating whether to revoke his position following the disclosure. Officials have not issued a public statement regarding Attia’s status.
Network Leadership Faces Mounting Pressure
The controversy adds to challenges facing CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who recently drew criticism for canceling a planned 60 Minutes segment about Venezuelan migrants sent to El Salvador’s CECOT prison. Multiple staff members expressed frustration over the editorial decision, with one employee characterizing the situation as a “holy f***ing dumpster fire.”
Additional scrutiny has focused on newly appointed CBS Evening News host Tony Dokoupil, with some staff members privately criticizing leadership decisions under Weiss’s tenure. Attia emphasized in his statement that his communications with Epstein never involved criminal activity, acknowledging: “At the time, I understood this exchange as juvenile, not a reference to anything dark or harmful. But reading it now is deeply shameful.”
