Dershowitz Denies Creating Dossiers, Claims "I Do Not Own A Computer" in Newly Released Epstein Files

Newly released Department of Justice documents include apparent correspondence between attorney Alan Dershowitz and a fact-checker in which Dershowitz denied preparing dossiers of social-media posts about Jeffrey Epstein’s accusers and stated that he "does not own a computer." The exchange is part of roughly 3 million files made public from the broader federal investigation into Epstein.

What the Documents Show

The records — which do not identify the outlet conducting the reporting and provide limited context about timing — include a reporter’s description of a dossier that drew on entries from websites such as MySpace in which alleged victims discussed alcohol, drug use and sex. According to police records and court filings, in 2006 Dershowitz supplied Florida prosecutors with material drawn from MySpace and other sources intended to undermine several women and girls who accused Epstein.

Dershowitz has represented several controversial clients throughout his legal career. / Lior Mizrahi / Getty Images

Dershowitz's Response

When confronted in the apparent fact-check exchange with the assertion that "Mr. Dershowitz prepared a dossier featuring entries from Web sites like MySpace, in which Mr. Epstein’s alleged victims recounted experiences with alcohol or marijuana and wrote about sex," Dershowitz replied in capital letters:

"I NEVER PERSONALLY PREPARED OR DIRECTED THE PREPARATION OF ANY DOSSIERS. I DO NOT OWN A COMPUTER. I NEVER WENT ON ANY WEBSITES."

That denial sits alongside other public statements in which Dershowitz, now in his late 80s, has said he conducts work using an iPhone and a printer. When CNN raised similar social-media allegations in 2019, he again said he did not own a computer and said he would not have known how to access MySpace.

DOJ

Allegations, Context and Disputes

The documents also show the apparent reporter asking Dershowitz whether he had sex with an unnamed Epstein accuser immediately after Epstein — a claim he emphatically denied. Dershowitz has also faced allegations from some of Epstein’s accusers; the late Virginia Giuffre Roberts alleged she was trafficked to Dershowitz between 2000 and 2002, an allegation Dershowitz has consistently denied.

At the close of the exchange, Dershowitz attempted to discredit the article the reporter was pursuing, writing in part that the proposed piece "depends on the uncorroborated credability [sic] of 2 women with long and provable records of lying and committing perjury against famous people" and that the reporting would "disseminat[e] totally false information against an entirely innocent man."

Epstein was first arrested in Palm Beach, Florida in 2006. / Handout / Florida Department of Law Enforcement via Getty Images

Related History: The 2006 Materials and Epstein's Plea Deal

The MySpace-derived materials supplied to prosecutors in 2006 came in the lead-up to a controversial non-prosecution agreement negotiated by then-U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta. Under that agreement, Epstein pleaded guilty to state solicitation charges and avoided federal sex-trafficking counts; he served 13 months of an 18-month sentence in the Palm Beach County Jail and received frequent work-release privileges despite the substantial volume of evidence gathered by investigators in Florida.

What Remains Unclear

The public files do not identify which outlet conducted the reporting or fully establish the timing and context of the fact-check exchange. News organizations, including The Daily Beast and others, have sought comment from Dershowitz about the newly released records. The documents add detail to already contentious public disputes over how Epstein’s case was handled and how accusers were treated.

Note: The article summarizes allegations and responses contained in public records. Some claims remain contested and have been denied by Dershowitz.