Who were the prosecutors and lead investigators in the 2019 Epstein case?
Executive summary
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan brought the July 2019 indictment that reopened the Jeffrey Epstein matter; assistant U.S. attorney Maurene Comey was publicly identified as a lead prosecutor on the Manhattan case [1]. The earlier, controversial 2007–08 Florida non‑prosecution agreement was negotiated by then‑U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta, whose role resurfaced in 2019 and prompted resignation pressure [2] [3]. Available sources do not list a single complete roster of every lead investigator and prosecutor across the multiple local, state and federal strands of the long-running investigations.
1. The 2019 Manhattan prosecution — the visible lead prosecutors
When federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) opened their 2019 case they charged Epstein with sex trafficking and related offenses; reporting names Maurene Comey as a high‑profile assistant U.S. attorney involved in that prosecution and appearing at news events announcing the case [1]. Multiple outlets in later years identify Comey as “one of the lead prosecutors” on Epstein and on the connected Maxwell matters, and her abrupt 2025 firing drew attention precisely because she had been publicly linked to those Manhattan prosecutions in 2019 [4] [1].
2. The 2007–08 Florida strand — Acosta and the non‑prosecution deal
The earlier federal strand that produced the infamous 2008 non‑prosecution agreement was negotiated by Alexander Acosta when he was U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Acosta’s role in approving the plea deal was the focus of renewed scrutiny in 2019 and was central to criticism that the plea shielded potential co‑conspirators and kept victims in the dark [2] [3]. Department of Justice reviews later criticized aspects of that handling; a Florida judge in 2019 found victims’ rights had been violated by the agreement [5] [2].
3. The FBI and local detectives — the investigatory spine
Palm Beach Police detectives initially opened investigations in 2005 and, dissatisfied with the state grand jury’s handling, referred aspects of the matter to the FBI in West Palm Beach; FBI agents later worked the federal follow‑ups and developed additional victims and evidence found in searches of Epstein’s properties [6] [7]. The DOJ Office of Professional Responsibility recounts collaboration between local detectives, FBI case agents and federal prosecutors as the case evolved [6] [7]. Available sources do not provide a single public list naming every FBI agent or local detective who led those probes.
4. Courts, judges and the administrative players who shaped the record
Federal judges and court rulings in 2019 and afterward — including rulings that reopened questions about the 2008 agreement — played a decisive role in who could prosecute and what evidence could be used; for instance, district judges adjudicated whether the 2008 deal blocked later federal charges [2] [5]. The Department of Justice’s internal Office of Professional Responsibility produced reviews that documented decision‑making by prosecutors and supervisors [7] [6].
5. Why names matter — politics, personnel moves and later controversy
The identities of prosecutors and investigators in Epstein’s files became politically freighted. Acosta’s name became a political focal point in 2019 because he had negotiated the 2008 deal and later served in the Trump cabinet; Comey’s 2019 prosecutorial role became a point of attention when she was abruptly fired in 2025 [2] [1] [4]. Congressional and media inquiries into “Epstein files” and later orders to release records have repeatedly focused scrutiny on who made prosecutorial choices and what evidence those teams compiled [8] [9].
6. What the sources do and do not disclose
Contemporary reporting and DOJ documents identify key public actors — Alexander Acosta as the Florida prosecutor who negotiated the 2008 agreement (and whose role resurfaced in 2019) and Maurene Comey as a named Manhattan prosecutor in 2019 [2] [1]. The sources document FBI involvement and local detective referrals from Palm Beach police [6]. Available sources do not publish a single, authoritative roster listing every lead investigator, line prosecutor or FBI agent across the many jurisdictions involved, nor do they supply full personnel files for the teams referenced (not found in current reporting).
7. Competing perspectives and implications
Two competing narratives appear in the record: critics say the 2008 non‑prosecution deal — negotiated by Acosta — improperly shielded Epstein and co‑conspirators and deprived victims of notice [2] [3]. Prosecutors and some DOJ reviewers argued practical difficulties and evidentiary limits factored into prosecutorial choices at various stages [10]. Reporting on Comey’s later firing frames it as politically charged and has produced counterclaims — she and supporters say she was targeted for political reasons; the administration framed personnel decisions differently [4] [1]. Readers should note these divergent framings are present within the cited sources.
If you want, I can compile from publicly available DOJ filings and court orders any additional named prosecutors or agents who appear in those documents and build a timeline of who did what and when using the same source set.