Harvard Releases Mintz Group Report on Epstein Relationship
Harvard University releases the Mintz Group report — an independent investigation into the university's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein — following the September 2019 resignation of MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito over Epstein donations and months of pressure on Cambridge institutions. The Harvard report identifies failures including inadequate due diligence, problematic facilitation by specific administrators, and acceptance of funds from a known sex offender. Harvard announces it will donate $200,000 (the amount directly received from Epstein) to charity.
People Involved
Background
Following Epstein’s 2019 arrest and the subsequent MIT Media Lab scandal (Joi Ito resigned in September 2019), Harvard commissioned the Mintz Group — an independent corporate investigations firm — to review the university’s relationship with Epstein.
Key Findings
The Mintz report found:
- Harvard had accepted approximately $9 million from Epstein between 1998 and 2007
- The primary beneficiary was the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics (PED) directed by Martin Nowak
- Due diligence conducted by Harvard was inadequate given Epstein’s 2008 conviction
- Certain administrators, including through the Provost’s office, had specifically facilitated the relationship
- Epstein’s donations continued after his 2008 conviction (some funds arrived in 2011)
Harvard’s Response
Harvard announced:
- It would donate $200,000 (the amount directly received as institutional funds) to organizations supporting trafficking victims
- This represented a fraction of Epstein’s total contributions to Harvard-affiliated programs
- Harvard would implement enhanced donor due diligence processes
MIT Context
The parallel MIT Media Lab investigation (MIT reviewed by former DOJ official Goodwin) found similar patterns — Epstein had given approximately $850,000 to MIT and visited the campus.
Significance
The Harvard and MIT responses set institutional templates for how elite universities addressed Epstein relationships — while critics noted the financial donations to charity were far smaller than the funds received.