Bard president Leon Botstein stepping down after inquiry into his Epstein ties

Key Points:

• Leon Botstein is stepping down as president of Bard College following an independent investigation into his interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which found his frequent contacts could have alerted him to Epstein’s abuse of women.
• The WilmerHale law firm’s review revealed Botstein made about 25 visits to Epstein’s townhouse, visited Epstein’s Little St James Island, and hosted Epstein twice at Bard, with multiple women identified as Epstein’s victims present during these visits.
• Despite warnings from a senior faculty member, Botstein continued engaging with Epstein, prioritizing Bard’s financial needs and accepting consulting fees from an Epstein entity, which he did not fully disclose to the college’s board.
• The Bard board accepted Botstein’s retirement effective June 30, praised his five decades of service, and announced that any funds linked to Epstein would be redirected to organizations supporting survivors of sexual harm.
• Botstein did not directly respond to the investigation’s findings but stated his retirement was planned due to his long tenure and age, and he intends to continue as a faculty member and musician at Bard.