Bard College President Leon Botstein to Retire Amid Epstein Ties Scrutiny

Leon Botstein, the longtime president of Bard College, is stepping down at the end of June after a half-century leading the small liberal arts institution. His retirement comes in the wake of intense scrutiny over his connections to Jeffrey Epstein, the notorious sex offender whose network of abuse and influence continues to unravel.

Documents released by the U.S. Justice Department this year revealed that Botstein and Epstein met multiple times, with Epstein even arriving at Bard by helicopter on occasion. Botstein invited Epstein as a guest to the college’s 2013 graduation and proposed meeting him for an opera performance. He also reached out to Epstein weeks after The Miami Herald exposed fresh details about Epstein’s criminal case in 2018, expressing concern for Epstein’s wellbeing and referring to their “friendship” in emails.

Epstein funneled $150,000 to Botstein in 2016, which Botstein says he donated to the college. However, Botstein had previously downplayed any personal connection, framing his interactions as purely fundraising efforts. The independent law firm WilmerHale, hired by Bard’s trustees to investigate, concluded that while Botstein did not act illegally, his decisions in relation to Epstein reflected poorly on his leadership.

The review criticized Botstein for minimizing the nature of his relationship with Epstein and for not being fully truthful with the Bard community. It highlighted a disturbing rationale Botstein used to justify continuing ties to Epstein—equating Epstein’s crimes with those of an “ordinary sex offender” and asserting that he should be presumed rehabilitated. Botstein reportedly told colleagues, “I would take money from Satan if it permitted me to do God’s work,” underscoring his prioritization of fundraising over ethical considerations.

Bard’s Board of Trustees acknowledged Botstein’s transformative impact on the college but expressed that the concerns raised were “serious and deeply felt.” They confirmed that funds associated with Epstein will be redirected to organizations supporting survivors of sexual harm.

Botstein will remain on Bard’s faculty as a teacher and musician, but his legacy will now be forever intertwined with the troubling revelations about his willingness to maintain friendly ties with one of America’s most infamous predators. This episode is yet another grim reminder of how Epstein’s influence permeated elite institutions and the lengths some leaders went to preserve financial support at any cost.