CBS News is expected to sever ties with contributor Peter Attia following newly released emails that detail his past communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a report from The Wrap.
The outlet reported that Attia’s name appeared more than 1,700 times across roughly three million emails released Friday by the U.S. Department of Justice as part of the latest Epstein document dump. According to the report, the correspondence portrayed Attia as “chummy” with Epstein, with messages that included crude jokes and comments praising Epstein’s “outrageous” lifestyle.
If finalized, the decision would mark a notable disruption for CBS News leadership, particularly as the network undergoes a broader internal restructuring effort.
Following the release of the Epstein related emails, Attia publicly addressed the controversy Monday in a lengthy post on X. He acknowledged meeting Epstein “seven or eight times” between 2014 and 2019 at Epstein’s New York City residence, but denied any knowledge of or involvement in criminal conduct.
“I was not involved in any criminal activity,” Attia wrote. “My interactions with Epstein had nothing to do with his sexual abuse or exploitation of anyone.”
Attia further stated that he was never on Epstein’s plane, never visited his private island, and was never present at any sex parties. He said his meetings were limited to discussions involving scientific research, fundraising, and introductions to other professionals.
“I apologize and regret putting myself in a position where emails, some of them embarrassing, tasteless, and indefensible, are now public,” he wrote. “That is on me. I accept that reality and the humiliation that comes with it.”
One email exchange from June 2015 has drawn particular scrutiny. Attia explained that an email he sent to Epstein with the subject line “Got a fresh shipment” referred to a photograph of prescription metformin he had just received for personal use. Epstein responded with an image of an adult woman, to which Attia admitted replying with crude banter.
“Reading that exchange now is very embarrassing, and I will not defend it,” Attia said. “I’m ashamed of myself for everything about this.”
Attia also described his initial exposure to Epstein as occurring through academic and philanthropic circles, where Epstein was widely known as a financial backer of scientific research. He admitted that Epstein minimized his 2008 conviction when asked directly, a characterization Attia said he naively accepted at the time.
Attia said his view of Epstein changed in 2018 after reading a Miami Herald investigation detailing the scope of Epstein’s abuse. He claimed he confronted Epstein and attempted to encourage financial support for victims’ treatment, though he now says even that effort was misguided.
“I recognize that my actions and words have consequences for the people I care deeply about, including all of you. I regret the cost this has placed on you, and I take responsibility for it.” He finished, “I won’t ask anyone to defend me or explain this on my behalf. If you have questions or concerns, I’ll address them directly with you, my team.”
He appears to be distancing himself from other professional affiliations. He has been removed from the website of David Protein, a protein bar company in which he has invested.
Attia is a physician and longevity expert best known for his work on preventive medicine and extending healthspan, meaning the number of years a person lives in good health. Trained as a surgeon, he earned his medical degree from Stanford and completed surgical training at Johns Hopkins before shifting his focus away from traditional reactive medicine toward what he calls “Medicine 3.0,” a proactive approach centered on preventing chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes long before symptoms appear.
