Bard President Resigns After Epstein Inquiry
Bard College President Leon Botstein resigned after an inquiry found extensive, undisclosed ties to Jeffrey Epstein, raising concerns about facilitated abuse.
Lauren Collins ·
Bard President Resigns After Epstein Inquiry Leon Botstein resigned as president of Bard College, effective June 30, following an independent review into his interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The investigation, conducted by the WilmerHale law firm and commissioned by Bard's board of trustees, concluded that Botstein's frequent contact with Epstein "could have alerted" him to the potential for facilitating abuse.
The WilmerHale report, delivered on April 30, detailed approximately 25 visits by Botstein to Epstein's townhouse and a two-day visit to Epstein's Little St. James Island between 2012 and 2019. It also noted two visits by Epstein to Bard College. These interactions, which included "multiple women" later identified as Epstein's victims, occurred despite a senior faculty member reportedly warning Botstein against engaging with Epstein, whom Botstein was courting as a donor.
Botstein, who had previously stated he was not friends with Epstein, accepted consulting fees from an Epstein entity in 2016. He did not disclose this agreement to the board, claiming he intended to donate the funds to Bard by incorporating them into his and/or his wife's contributions, making separate identification from Epstein's funds impossible. The board announced that any funds associated with Epstein would be redirected to organizations supporting survivors of sexual harm.