Newly released documents show ties between Bard’s president and Jeffrey Epstein

The Justice Department's January 30, 2026 release of Epstein-related materials created a large trove for journalists and researchers, and Leon Botstein's name appears thousands of times across the records. These files indicate that Botstein met with Jeffrey Epstein on multiple occasions after Epstein's 2008 conviction, and an exchange from December 17, 2012 arranged for Botstein to be taken to Jeffrey's island; contact between the two men continued until January 2018. The newly available paperwork contains emails, schedules and notes that illuminate how Epstein interacted with institutions and individuals in the arts and academia.

The documents detail several financial ties and gestures of support. Epstein gave Bard a $75,000 gift in 2011 and provided 66 laptops in 2015, while in 2016 Botstein received $150,000 from the foundation Gratitude America; that payment was described as compensation for a role on an advisory board and was later included in a larger $1,040,000 personal gift that Botstein said benefited Bard. Although some payments were recorded as consulting fees, Botstein has stated he did not profit personally and that he directed the funds to the college.

Moreover, the files show Epstein helped connect Botstein with the daughter of Woody Allen and Soon-Yi Previn so she could attend Bard College. Nevertheless, the revelations have prompted sharper public discussion about donor vetting and institutional responsibility, and many organizations have been reviewing past gifts and policies. Consequently, what was once private correspondence is now part of ongoing debates about ethics, transparency, and how colleges balance fundraising with reputational risk.