Short Answer
Jeffrey Epstein worked as a math and physics teacher at the Dalton School in Manhattan from approximately 1974 to 1976. The position gave him access to the children of New York’s wealthiest families and the social connections that launched his Wall Street career.
In Detail
The Dalton School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan is among the most selective and expensive private schools in the United States, drawing students from the city’s financial, media, legal, and social elite. When Jeffrey Epstein arrived to teach in 1974, he was 21 years old and held no college degree — a credentialing gap that should have disqualified him but apparently escaped scrutiny at the time.
How He Got the Job
Accounts vary on how Epstein secured the position. He had studied briefly at Cooper Union and New York University before abandoning formal education. His mathematical ability was reportedly evident in interviews, and private schools in the 1970s, particularly in non-core subjects, sometimes relaxed degree requirements for persuasive candidates. He reportedly told administrators he had credentials he did not actually hold.
What He Taught
Epstein taught mathematics and physics to secondary school students. Former students who later commented recalled him as a competent and engaging teacher, though recollections are colored by his subsequent crimes. He was apparently well-liked by some students and parents alike.
The Critical Connection
The most consequential aspect of Epstein’s time at Dalton was his exposure to the parents of his students. It was through Dalton that he met — or was introduced to — Alan “Ace” Greenberg, the chairman of Bear Stearns, and his son. This connection led directly to Epstein’s offer of employment at Bear Stearns in 1976, bypassing the educational and credentialing requirements that would have barred him from the financial industry through normal channels.
His Departure
Epstein left Dalton in 1976, the same year he joined Bear Stearns. The circumstances of his departure have not been officially disclosed, and Dalton has not commented publicly. In light of his later crimes, investigators and journalists have raised questions about whether there were concerns about his conduct with young students that contributed to his leaving.