Harvard University and Bard College are under renewed scrutiny from lawmakers following allegations that Jeffrey Epstein utilized his connections with these institutions and their faculty to facilitate human trafficking while simultaneously working to repair his public image.
Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, issued a statement noting that while both Harvard and Bard previously attempted to investigate their roles in facilitating Epstein’s activities, those efforts were either insufficient or failed to provide a complete account of the situation.
Among his specific demands, Raskin has called for Bard College to make its outgoing president, Leon Botstein—who is expected to maintain a role at the college—available for a transcribed interview. Raskin is also requesting comprehensive records concerning Epstein’s donations, communications, admissions involvement, institutional decision-making, and the full findings of the college’s internal review.
Similarly, Raskin is seeking extensive documentation from Harvard, including financial records, communications, and all information related to Epstein’s research funding and his personal ties to faculty members. Raskin characterized Harvard’s previous investigations into its ties to Epstein, conducted in 2008 and 2019, as being at best incomplete and at worst intentionally misleading.
Raskin alleged that these internal probes failed to identify a series of donations made by Epstein after Harvard had banned such contributions in 2008. Furthermore, he noted the investigations did not fully address the extent of Epstein’s relationship with faculty—including former Harvard president Larry Summers—or the depth of his involvement in student admissions and academic research.
“It is time for Harvard, like the rest of America, to come clean and engage in the comprehensive accounting that will allow us to learn from this nightmare, take appropriate legislative action, and make sure nothing like it ever happens again,” Raskin stated in a letter addressed to Harvard President Alan Garber.
In February, Harvard announced that Summers would resign from his teaching position at the conclusion of the academic year. This followed the release of Department of Justice files regarding Epstein, which provided further insight into the relationship between Summers and Epstein. Email correspondence revealed frequent communication between the two on various topics, including politics and women, including instances where Summers pursued a relationship with an individual who viewed him as an “economic mentor.”
Summers served as Harvard’s president from 2001 to 2006. During the period from 1998 to 2008, Epstein donated more than $9 million to Harvard and its various programs, a timeframe that overlapped with Summers’s presidency.
Summers has previously expressed regret, stating: “I am deeply ashamed of my actions and recognize the pain they have caused. I take full responsibility for my misguided decision to continue communicating with Mr. Epstein.”
In a separate communication to Bard Chair James Cox Chambers—who was recently reported to have stepped down from his position—Raskin indicated he is investigating how Epstein exploited “multifarious ties in higher education,” spanning from Bard to Columbia University, Harvard, and New York University.
Raskin noted that Botstein is resigning from his presidency after more than 50 years in the role, following a Bard-led investigation that cited “substantial lapses in leadership and candor” during his tenure.
Raskin argued there is evidence suggesting that Epstein’s relationship with Botstein and Bard leadership “helped him maintain and expand his illegal activities, including potentially trafficking women in New York and the Russian Federation.”
Recent reports indicated that Bard’s board of trustees voted to end Botstein’s 51-year tenure after reviewing the results of an independent inquiry into his connection to Epstein. Botstein, however, characterized his departure as a pre-planned retirement in a statement released on May 1.
One victim of Epstein, who had prior interactions with Botstein, suggested that the Bard president was part of a circle of influential men whose proximity to Epstein served to rehabilitate the financier’s reputation.
An internal investigation conducted by the law firm WilmerHale, commissioned by Bard’s board and made public on May 1, concluded that while Botstein’s actions regarding Epstein were not “illegal,” he was “not fully accurate” in his public descriptions of the relationship. The report also stated that Botstein failed to recognize the reputational risks to Bard when pursuing Epstein as a donor and did not fully account for the potential risks his contacts posed to students.
The law firm further noted that Botstein had failed to disclose fees received under a consulting agreement with an entity linked to Epstein.
Botstein has previously denied being a friend of Epstein, maintaining that he never witnessed inappropriate behavior or had knowledge of Epstein’s “monstrous crimes.” He has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
Harvard and Bard have not yet responded to requests for comment. Raskin has requested that both institutions provide the required information by July 1.
