Jeffrey Epstein sought a pardon in 2010 from Charlie Crist, who was then finishing out his time as governor of Florida, according to Justice Department documents. The new files threaten to complicate things for Crist, who is considering a return to public office with a campaign for mayor of St. Petersburg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Epstein had just completed a 13-month sentence after he pleaded guilty to a state charge in connection with sexual misconduct toward a minor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an undated transcript in the millions of files released last week, Epstein said he spoke with Crist about a pardon. Additional emails in the files, also from 2010, show the lengths Epstein went to to lobby Crist for a pardon, efforts that included using Bill Richardson, who was then governor of New Mexico, to get his request to Crist. Richardson died in 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crist told NBC News on Thursday: \u201cI never talked to him. \u201cWhy would I?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crist, who was a Republican but became a Democrat in 2012, said that it is likely that Epstein or his legal team reached out to his office, which is a regular part of requesting a pardon, but that they never spoke directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI have no knowledge of any of that,\u201d Crist said when he was asked about records in the Epstein files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a 23-page transcript included in the files, Epstein retold what he referred to as \u201cone funny story\u201d to a man named \u201cRichard,\u201d whose last name is not included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the conversation, Epstein said Crist reached out to former Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer, who handled the initial 2006 investigation into Epstein. Krischer\u2019s office was widely criticized after The Miami Herald reported on the process that led it to offer Epstein a plea deal allowing him to serve just 13 months in jail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Epstein talked about how he was running out of time to get a pardon because Crist would be leaving office soon, dating the conversation to sometime in late 2010.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe, Crist, called the prosecutor this morning,\u201d Epstein said, according to the undated transcript.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Epstein said Crist relayed to him that he believed at the time of the late 2010 conversation that Krischer believed Epstein had still gotten a bad deal from the court. The Florida investigation into Epstein began in 2006, and he pleaded guilty to one count of felony solicitation of prostitution and one count of procuring a person under 18 for prostitution in June 2008.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been doing this for 26 years, I was a state prosecuting attorney,\u201d Epstein said, recounting what Crist told him Krischer said. \u201cEpstein\u2019s behavior was inappropriate but not criminal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crist, according to the transcript, said Krischer told him that Epstein got \u201cf—–.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is what he said to the governor,\u201d Epstein said. \u201cThe governor called me \u2014 this is what he called me for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Epstein said he and Crist then talked about how to handle the situation and whether Krischer should or could state his concerns publicly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They ultimately concluded that Krischer, who did not respond to a request seeking comment, could not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is the conversation I had,\u201d Epstein said, according to the transcript, emphasizing again that he spoke with Crist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Epstein said in the transcript that he was seeking a pardon because it would \u201cget rid of my sex offender status.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEven [though] some women keep saying, \u2018It\u2019s so exciting. I\u2019ve never actually been with a sex offender before,\u2019\u201d Epstein added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crist was facing term limits as governor and had just lost a U.S. Senate race to Marco Rubio. The two men discussed how Epstein had just a few weeks left in Crist\u2019s term as governor to secure a pardon because the incoming governor, Republican Rick Scott, would not give him one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe new governor is not going to pardon you, because the new governor wants to be governor again,\u201d said Richard, the unidentified man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The part of the lengthy conversation focused on pardons ended with Epstein saying how badly he wanted to push Crist for a pardon before he left office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t p—- out on me,\u201d Epstein said of what he wanted to say to Crist. \u201cJust do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Emails beyond the transcript outline Epstein\u2019s heavy lobbying efforts to get his request to Crist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a Nov. 3, 2010, email, a person identified as \u201cdrsra\u201d emailed Epstein saying 2010 election losses by both Crist and Alex Sink, that year\u2019s Democratic nominee for governor, offered a perfect moment. As Florida\u2019s elected chief financial officer, Sink also had a post on the Florida board that grants pardons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe election may have provided a good opportunity for you,\u201d the person wrote to Epstein. \u201cSince both Crist & Sink lost, they have nothing to lose publicly-wise by granting a pardon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGet you people to move FAST!\u201d the person concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One month later, on Dec. 3, 2010, Lesley Groff, Epstein\u2019s longtime assistant, emailed Epstein to remind him that he was \u201cto receive a call from Crist directly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The emails also show that Richardson was involved in the process of helping Epstein try to secure a Florida pardon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Dec. 22, 2010, Janis Hartley, a former Richardson aide, emailed that Richardson had just returned from a trip from North Korea and \u201cis wondering is anything happened with Governor Crist.\u201d The recipient of that email is redacted from the files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A day later, Hartley emailed Groff that a call between the two governors had been set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCan you let Jeffrey know that the Governor will talk to Governor Crist on Monday, December, 27th,\u201d the email read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crist is just one of a number of powerful and politically connected men who have appeared in the Epstein files, forced in recent days to explain why they might be in the documents and whether they had any connection to the convicted sex offender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crist is widely expected to run for the mayor of St. Petersburg. Though he has not formally announced his intentions, a political committee associated with him has quickly raised $750,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n