Peter Attia resigns from CBS role after Epstein emails surface

Celebrity physician Peter Attia has stepped down from his newly appointed role as a CBS News contributor after his name appeared in Justice Department files detailing email exchanges with Jeffrey Epstein.

The documents, published last week, included correspondence in which Attia joked crudely about women and expressed unusual attachment to the disgraced financier. In one message, he told Epstein he went into “withdrawal when I don’t see him,” while another email in 2016 contained a sexual joke.

Although the files do not suggest criminal involvement, the revelations sparked anger among some of Attia’s followers and raised questions about CBS’s vetting process.

Attia has apologised repeatedly for the tone of his emails but insisted he had no connection to Epstein’s crimes. In a lengthy social media post, he wrote: “I was never on his [Epstein’s] plane, never on his island, and never present at any sex parties. My interactions with Epstein had nothing to do with his sexual abuse or exploitation of anyone.”

He acknowledged visiting Epstein’s Manhattan home “seven or eight” times between 2014 and 2019, but said he never witnessed illegal activity or saw underage individuals present.

Attia was among 19 contributors recruited in January by Bari Weiss, CBS News’ new editor‑in‑chief, as part of a broader shake‑up following Paramount’s takeover of the network. Weiss, known for her critiques of “cancel culture,” had sought to bring in diverse voices ranging from health experts to national security specialists.

Attia’s spokesman said his CBS role “was newly established and had not yet meaningfully begun,” adding that he stepped aside to avoid becoming “a distraction from the important work being done at CBS.”

Epstein, convicted in 2008 of soliciting a minor, died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His extensive network of contacts continues to reverberate years later, ensnaring public figures across industries as new documents emerge.

For Attia, whose reputation as an anti‑ageing influencer and bestselling author had propelled him into mainstream media, the episode marks a sudden and damaging turn. His resignation underscores how even limited associations with Epstein remain toxic in public life.

Source: CBS