Bard College President Leon Botstein Resigns Amid Epstein Ties Scandal

Leon Botstein, the long-serving president of Bard College, is stepping down following a damning inquiry into his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. An independent review by the law firm WilmerHale, commissioned by Bard’s board of trustees, uncovered that Botstein had frequent contact with Epstein from 2012 to 2019, including about 25 visits to Epstein’s New York townhouse and a two-day trip to Epstein’s private island. Epstein also visited Bard twice, sometimes accompanied by multiple women later identified as victims of Epstein’s sex trafficking.

Despite previously denying a close friendship with Epstein, Botstein courted the convicted sex offender as a potential donor, ignoring warnings from a senior faculty member about the dangers of engaging with Epstein. The report revealed Botstein’s chilling rationale: he viewed Bard’s financial needs as so critical that he was willing to “take money from Satan if it permitted me to do God’s work.”

WilmerHale also exposed troubling financial dealings. In 2016, Botstein accepted consulting fees from an Epstein entity but failed to disclose this to Bard’s board, claiming he intended to donate the money back to the college. However, the law firm could not confirm that these funds were separately accounted for or actually donated, raising serious questions about transparency and ethics.

Beyond financial ties, Epstein was invited to Bard’s guest cottage, concerts, and even Bard High School Early College events—invites he declined but which could have exposed students to the predator. Botstein, the report found, failed to consider the reputational risks to Bard or the harm his actions could cause to victims and their families. Moreover, he was found to have minimized and misrepresented the nature of his relationship with Epstein in public statements.

The Bard board expressed gratitude for Botstein’s five decades of service but acknowledged the gravity of the concerns raised. They emphasized the need for an orderly transition and pledged that any funds linked to Epstein would be directed to organizations supporting survivors of sexual harm.

In a statement, Botstein did not directly address the findings but framed his resignation as a long-planned retirement coinciding with his 80th birthday. He intends to remain on campus as a faculty member and musician.

This resignation exposes yet another institution compromised by Epstein’s influence and raises urgent questions about accountability at the highest levels. Bard College’s leadership prioritized money over moral responsibility, putting students and survivors at risk. The fallout from this scandal is a stark reminder that the Epstein network’s reach extended far beyond the convicted trafficker himself—and that the fight for transparency and justice is far from over.