Barry Josephson says he’s ashamed of emails with Jeffrey Epstein, admitting poor judgment while denying knowledge of crimes.
Barry Josephson, the longtime executive producer of Bones, is publicly addressing his past relationship with Jeffrey Epstein after newly released Justice Department documents put their correspondence back in the spotlight.
In a statement shared with Variety, Josephson acknowledged that some of the emails he exchanged with Epstein were inappropriate and deeply regrettable.
“There’s no excuse for what I said in some of my emails,” he said, calling the language “crude and juvenile” and admitting he is ashamed of it.
Josephson, a veteran Hollywood producer and former Columbia Pictures president, said he attended social events with Epstein and allowed him to visit his sets on two occasions.
However, he strongly denied ever traveling on Epstein’s private plane, visiting his private island, or seeing him around minors.
“My biggest regret, bar none, is that I foolishly believed his denials of wrongdoing,” Josephson said. He explained that Epstein’s powerful social circle and connections across multiple industries gave him a false sense of trust.
“It blinded me,” he added, offering an apology to anyone harmed by Epstein, whom he described as a “clearly terrible and depraved individual.”
The newly released records show Josephson remained in contact with Epstein as late as 2018 — a decade after Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to charges involving the prostitution of a minor.
Emails also reveal that Josephson borrowed more than $330,000 from Epstein between 2011 and 2012 to cover tax-related expenses, at one point thanking him and saying he was “overwhelmed by your friendship.”
Some of the messages included troubling banter about women Epstein knew, including a reference to a “young, attractive” woman suggested for an assistant role.
Epstein also attempted to use his relationship with Josephson to gain further access to Hollywood, even trying to help women he knew land roles on Bones, though those efforts reportedly went nowhere.
As more details from the Epstein case continue to emerge, Josephson’s statement reflects a growing reckoning in Hollywood — one focused less on legal exposure and more on accountability, regret, and the consequences of looking the other way.
