Bard College President Retires After Epstein Probe
Leon Botstein is retiring as president of Bard College in New York. He led the college for 51 years.
An independent review found he made 25 visits to Jeffrey Epstein's townhouse. Epstein was a convicted sex offender. The review found Botstein did nothing illegal but showed poor judgment.
Botstein had said he was not friends with Epstein. But the report found he was not fully honest about their relationship.
He also did not tell Bard's board about a personal paid arrangement with an Epstein company. Epstein did not make any major donations to Bard.
Klear Note — Jeffrey Epstein was a financier convicted of sex crimes. He died in jail in 2019. Many institutions have faced scrutiny for their ties to him.
Key Terms 3
- WilmerHale A law firm hired to independently review Botstein's ties to Epstein
- Board of Trustees The group of people who oversee and govern a college
- Jeffrey Epstein A US financier convicted of sex crimes against women and girls