Longtime Bard College President Leon Botstein is named in thousands of emails in the Epstein files. The batch of documents released last week, which returns over 2,500 results for Leon Botstein’s name, show Botstein communicated with Jeffrey Epstein years after the disgraced financier pleaded guilty in 2008 to Florida state charges of soliciting prostitution from a minor. He was also a registered sex offender.
One December 2012 exchange between Epstein and Botstein’s assistants detailed plans for Botstein to visit Epstein’s island, now known to be a den of underage sex-trafficking.
The emails reveal contact between the two men until January 2018, a year before Epstein was found dead inside his New York jail cell. The exchanges in the files reveal an apparent personal relationship between Epstein and Botstein, with them exchanging words like “Miss you. Leon.”
Botstein has told the press that he only communicated with Epstein to raise money for Bard College, where he has been president since 1975. He has said if he knew what he knew now, he would not have accepted Epstein’s money. He has not responded to WAMC’s request for comment.
The files show that on Dec. 17, 2012, the executive assistant of Bard College emailed Epstein’s office:
“Leon Botstein should arrive at least 10 minutes before takeoff. (so by 9:50 a.m.) The estimated time of arrival to St. Thomas is 2:30 p.m. We will have Leon picked up and taken to Jeffrey's island...all will be taken care of!"
Botstein’s assistant asked how he would be traveling and wrote:
"Just out of curiosity, how will Leon get to Mr. Epstein's house? Will he be taken by boat? Or will he take another flight to the island?"
Their assistants coordinated for the two men to arrive by boat and also share cellphone numbers.
In addition to being Bard’s president for half a century, Botstein is also a conductor and has led the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, the American Symphony Orchestra and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.
The files show additional contact between Botstein and Epstein, including in 2013 when Botstein was there to greet Epstein in Red Hook, where Bard College is located.
Epstein was not alone on the helicopter, though, according to the files. Someone named Jojo, was supposed to pick up “all the girls” with the instructions: “Girls: bring your IDs with you!”
“Jojo, on Sunday, please go pick up all the girls from 301 at 9:15am and have them to the house by 9:30am. Heli wheels up is 10:30am from the West side heliport. Girls: bring your ID's with you!”
According to the schedule, Botstein greeted Epstein with two cars before they went to Botstein’s home. Then they went to Botstein’s opera talk and then the opera, before an all cast party at Botstein’s home. It’s unclear if Epstein went to the party.
In addition, Botstein allegedly helped Woody Allen’s daughter get into Bard College, which the college president denies. But emails in the files suggest Botstein did offer to help her get in after Jeffrey Epstein emailed him.
In 2023, Botstein defended his past relationship with Epstein saying:
“We had no idea, the public record had no indication, that he was anything more than an ordinary — if you could say such a thing — sex offender who had been convicted and went to jail.”
