Medical Expert Leaves CBS News Role After Epstein Connection Surfaces

Dr. Peter Attia has departed from his new CBS News contributor position following the public release of emails showing his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The longevity medicine specialist's name appeared over 1,700 times in recently released court documents from the Epstein case.

A medical expert specializing in longevity research has departed from CBS News after correspondence linking him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein became public knowledge, according to network officials Monday.

Dr. Peter Attia’s departure comes approximately three weeks following the public disclosure of his email exchanges with Epstein. The physician’s name surfaces more than 1,700 times throughout the massive collection of 3 million documents that the U.S. Department of Justice made available on January 30 as part of the Epstein legal files.

A representative for Attia explained the decision, stating: “Dr. Attia’s contributor role was newly established and had not yet meaningfully begun. As such, he stepped back to ensure his involvement didn’t become a distraction from the important work being done at CBS. He wishes the network and its leadership well and has no further comment at this time.”

The network had just announced Attia as a new contributor on January 27, bringing him aboard as part of Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss’ restructuring initiative. This plan involved adding 19 fresh contributors to implement a “streaming mentality” approach at the Paramount Skydance-owned network.

Attia had previously appeared on CBS programming, including an October “60 Minutes” segment where producers characterized him as “both a pioneer and a star in the growing field of longevity medicine.”

Following the document release, Attia addressed the controversy through a February 2 social media post on X, where he rejected any involvement in illegal activities. However, he expressed regret about the Epstein correspondence, acknowledging his shame regarding what he described as “crude, tasteless banter.”

The released emails reveal the nature of their relationship. In a 2015 message, Attia wrote: “The biggest problem with becoming friends with you? The life you lead is so outrageous, and yet I can’t tell a soul…”

Another email from 2016 showed Attia writing, using Epstein’s initials: “I go into JE withdrawal when I don’t see him.”

Epstein, a wealthy financier who maintained connections with prominent figures, received a 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution. He died by suicide while in custody in 2019.

The Hollywood Reporter initially broke the story regarding Attia’s separation from CBS News.

This CBS departure represents the second professional consequence Attia has faced since the email revelations. Earlier this month, on February 2, he resigned from his position as chief science officer at protein-bar manufacturer David Protein, according to the company founder’s social media announcement. Attia had invested in the company and participated in its $10 million seed funding round completed in August 2024.