Peter Attia’s Controversial Emails with Jeffrey Epstein
Peter Attia, the anti-aging influencer, expressed regret on Monday over his “tasteless and indefensible” emails exchanged with his late acquaintance, Jeffrey Epstein. CBS News is reportedly considering terminating his position just days after he was announced as a new contributor.
At 52, Attia offered a somewhat hesitant apology following the release of his emails, which were included in Epstein’s documents released last week. One email, in particular, noted that he thought Epstein was “definitely low carb.”
“I apologize and regret finding myself in a situation where my emails—some of which were embarrassing and inexcusable—became public. I take full responsibility for that, and I accept the humiliation that follows,” Attia said in a detailed statement on X.
He has a substantial following on Instagram, with 1.7 million followers, and asserted that his communications with Epstein had nothing to do with any exploitative behavior, insisting he was “not involved in any criminal activity.”
“I have never been on his plane, visited his island, or participated in any of his gatherings,” he stated.
Attia sought to clarify several eyebrow-raising emails, including one from 2015 that hinted at Epstein’s “outrageous” lifestyle.
“At that stage of my career, I had limited interactions with influential figures, so his lifestyle seemed new and extravagant to me. He owned the largest home in Manhattan and lived an excessive lifestyle,” he explained.
“When I mentioned his life being a mess, it wasn’t an admission of wrongdoing. I was rather clumsily commenting on the social circles we moved in and how it impacted who we interacted with,” he added.
Having been mentioned 1,741 times in the released files, Attia also faced criticism for the dubious medical guidance he provided Epstein over the years, including a disturbing email from 2016 in which he quipped about Epstein being “definitely low carb.”
His acquaintance with Epstein began in 2014 while Attia was pursuing funding for scientific research. He noted having met with Epstein around seven or eight times until 2019 at the latter’s Manhattan residence.
“I did ask him about his 2008 conviction soon after we met, to which he downplayed it as a prostitution-related charge. It took me until 2018 to realize how misrepresented that was,” Attia confessed.
“I was incredibly naive and misjudged the acceptance he received from influential circles as a sign of his character. This was a significant error in my judgment. Just to be clear, I have never witnessed illegal actions or seen anyone who seemed underage in his presence.”
He emphasized that his lengthy statement wasn’t meant to absolve him of responsibility.
“I don’t expect anyone to overlook those emails or pretend they aren’t awkward—they simply are,” he remarked. “If I could turn back time, I wouldn’t have communicated with Epstein at all. Regardless of my growth over the past decade, those emails will always remain.”
Attia was appointed as a CBS News contributor on January 27, only three days before the new batch of Epstein files was released. The network is currently under significant restructuring, led by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, and is expected to distance itself from Attia. A source cited by The Wrap indicated that his future at CBS News was uncertain following these revelations.
No immediate information regarding Attia’s status with the network has been made available, and CBS News has not responded to multiple inquiries for comment.
