Two decades ago, a federal prosecutor in Florida spent two years investigating Jeffrey Epstein and urged her superiors to charge him. Her frustrations mounted as her boss, US Attorney Alex Acosta, pursued a now-infamous plea deal that allowed Epstein to serve just 13 months, much of it on work release.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg legal reporter David Voreacos joins host Sarah Holder to examine emails and evidence recently released by the Justice Department. They reveal Marie Villafaña’s exhaustive efforts to hold Epstein accountable — and how, despite years of credible evidence, he managed to slip through the cracks.

Read more: Sex-Crimes Prosecutor's Repeated Pleas for Epstein's Arrest Were Denied

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by David Voreacos; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott.

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate and David Fox; Engineering by Katie McMurran.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Two decades ago, a federal prosecutor in Florida spent two years investigating Jeffrey Epstein and urged her superiors to charge him. Her frustrations mounted as her boss, US Attorney Alex Acosta, pursued a now-infamous plea deal that allowed Epstein to serve just 13 months, much of it on work release.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg legal reporter David Voreacos joins host Sarah Holder to examine emails and evidence recently released by the Justice Department. They reveal Marie Villafa&ntilde;a&rsquo;s exhaustive efforts to hold Epstein accountable &mdash; and how, despite years of credible evidence, he managed to slip through the cracks.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-20/prosecutor-pushed-her-bosses-for-epstein-s-arrest-multiple-times-in-2007?srnd=undefined">Sex-Crimes Prosecutor's Repeated Pleas for Epstein's Arrest Were Denied</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by David Voreacos; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott.
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate and David Fox; Engineering by Katie McMurran.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

The Prosecutor Who Fought to Arrest Jeffrey Epstein in 2007

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/51baff4f-03f5-415d-a37a-b4180162fb83/transcript

President Donald Trump says he believes he’ll have the “honor of taking Cuba.” As the island nation suffers from major blackouts and a US squeeze on its oil supply, its regime’s survival — and the country’s future broadly — is in question.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg reporters Eric Martin and Jim Wyss about the dire situation on the ground in Cuba, ongoing talks between the country’s leadership and the US and what could come next.

Read more: 
Cuba Is Struggling to Keep Lights On Amid Trump’s Oil Blockade
Can Cuba’s Regime Survive as US Chokes Oil Supplies?
Trump’s Plan for Cuba Would Make the US the Island’s Patron

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by David Fox; Reported by Eric Martin, Jim Wyss; Edited by Aaron Edwards.

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

President Donald Trump says he believes he&rsquo;ll have the &ldquo;honor of taking Cuba.&rdquo; As the island nation suffers from major blackouts and a US squeeze on its oil supply, its regime&rsquo;s survival &mdash; and the country&rsquo;s future broadly &mdash; is in question.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg reporters Eric Martin and Jim Wyss about the dire situation on the ground in Cuba, ongoing talks between the country&rsquo;s leadership and the US and what could come next.
Read more:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-cuba-oil-supply-power-grid-blackout/">Cuba Is Struggling to Keep Lights On Amid Trump&rsquo;s Oil Blockade</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-19/cuba-s-energy-crisis-can-the-regime-survive-us-oil-blockade">Can Cuba&rsquo;s Regime Survive as US Chokes Oil Supplies?</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-13/trump-s-plan-for-cuba-would-make-the-us-the-island-s-patron">Trump&rsquo;s Plan for Cuba Would Make the US the Island&rsquo;s Patron</a></li>
</ul>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by David Fox; Reported by Eric Martin, Jim Wyss; Edited by Aaron Edwards.
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

What Trump Wants in Cuba

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b322b3cd-7d0e-42cc-81a9-b4170155f14f/transcript

As the war with Iran drags out and oil prices remain turbulent, it raises the question of whether — and how — prolonged conflict in the Middle East might impact global fossil fuel dependence and the future of renewable energy.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Todd Woody and Zero podcast host Akshat Rathi join Sarah Holder to discuss early signs that the high cost of oil is reigniting consumer interest in electronic vehicles and other clean energy technologies, and how companies and countries are beginning to respond. 

Read more: Surging Gas Prices Reignite EV Interest

Listen more: 
What a $100-Per-Barrel Oil Spike Does to the Global Economy
Zero Podcast: War with Iran is a nightmare for oil and gas. What does it mean for clean energy?

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Todd Woody and Akshat Rathi; Edited by Tracey Samuelson.

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

As the war with Iran drags out and oil prices remain turbulent, it raises the question of whether &mdash; and how &mdash; prolonged conflict in the Middle East might impact global fossil fuel dependence and the future of renewable energy.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Todd Woody and Zero podcast host Akshat Rathi join Sarah Holder to discuss early signs that the high cost of oil is reigniting consumer interest in electronic vehicles and other clean energy technologies, and how companies and countries are beginning to respond.&nbsp;
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-14/iran-war-reignites-ev-interest-in-us-markets?srnd=undefined&amp;sref=jjXJRDFv">Surging Gas Prices Reignite EV Interest</a>
Listen more:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="http://swap.fm/l/Mgn13rogHyma2xLSIq7M">What a $100-Per-Barrel Oil Spike Does to the Global Economy</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Zero Podcast: <a href="http://swap.fm/l/fbyVpAMyW2vNlnWfvKXa">War with Iran is a nightmare for oil and gas. What does it mean for clean energy?</a></li>
</ul>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Todd Woody and Akshat Rathi; Edited by Tracey Samuelson.
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

$100 to Fill Up Your Tank? Some Drivers Say No Thanks

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/cbbc7696-331e-42e5-8305-b4160155272c/transcript

In Episode 6 of The Sixth Bureau, a series from The Big Take,with spy Xu Yanjun in prison, the US government pursues some of his collaborators. Plus, host Jordan Robertson gets an unexpected call which leads to a big discovery.

The Sixth Bureau from Bloomberg News follows an MSS intelligence officer whose mission was to acquire the crown jewels of American aerospace companies. With aliases, blackmail and the occasional break-in, he targeted corporate giants. That is, until his sloppiness — and a cunning FBI sting — led to a stunning reversal: Xu Yanjun became the first Chinese intelligence officer ever convicted on American soil.

The Sixth Bureau is the story of superpowers, their secrets and how one Chinese spy got caught. Listen to Episodes 1 - 5 here.

In Episode 6 of The Sixth Bureau, a series from The Big Take, with spy Xu Yanjun in prison, the US government pursues some of his collaborators. Plus, host Jordan Robertson gets an unexpected call which leads to a big discovery.
The Sixth Bureau&nbsp;from Bloomberg News follows an MSS intelligence officer whose mission was to acquire the crown jewels of American aerospace companies. With aliases, blackmail and the occasional break-in, he targeted corporate giants. That is, until his sloppiness &mdash; and a cunning FBI sting &mdash; led to a stunning reversal: Xu Yanjun became the first Chinese intelligence officer ever convicted on American soil.
The Sixth Bureau is the story of superpowers, their secrets and how one Chinese spy got caught. Listen to Episodes 1 - 5 <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/the-sixth-bureau/">here</a>.

The Sixth Bureau Episode 6: Nothing Is Holy

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6ebc1e56-47b9-4ed0-bdf4-b41300f204bd/transcript

The Prosecutor Who Fought to Arrest Jeffrey Epstein in 2007

In 1 playlist(s)

Big Take

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips