Which prominent scientists accepted funding from Jeffrey Epstein and what were the amounts?
Executive summary
Jeffrey Epstein funneled millions into science and to prominent scientists and institutions; for example, Epstein gave at least $6.5 million to Harvard’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics and related gifts of $2.4 million, and the Santa Fe Institute received roughly $250,000–$275,000 over time [1] [2]. Congressional releases of tens of thousands of pages of Epstein emails in 2025 show correspondence between Epstein and named figures such as Lawrence Krauss, Lawrence Summers, Noam Chomsky and Martin Nowak, while independent reporting has documented additional individual payments and programmatic support [3] [4] [5].
1. Who appears in the record as Epstein’s scientific contacts — and what the documents show
House Oversight Committee releases and press coverage list a roster of well‑known academics in Epstein’s inbox and donation records: Lawrence Krauss, former Treasury official and economist Lawrence Summers, linguist Noam Chomsky and Martin Nowak of Harvard’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics are among those named in the November 2025 documents and contemporary reporting [3] [4]. The newly released email troves reveal years of correspondence — thank‑yous, meeting invitations and research updates — and show Epstein cultivated sustained personal ties with scientists [3] [4].
2. Known dollar amounts tied to institutions and some researchers
Reporting and institutional disclosures identify concrete sums: Harvard acknowledged Epstein gave $6.5 million that supported the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics and an additional $2.4 million in other gifts, and later said a remaining $186,000 would be redirected to victim‑support groups [6] [1]. The Santa Fe Institute confirmed roughly $250,000–$275,000 in contributions from Epstein‑linked foundations [2]. These figures are the clearest, publicly reported dollar amounts in current documents [6] [2].
3. Individual scientist payments: documented, disputed and incomplete
Investigations by BuzzFeed, The Chronicle and others in 2019–2025 documented that Epstein’s foundations paid individual scientists and funded conferences and media projects, but the full ledger is incomplete because Epstein’s Virgin Islands foundations’ filings are opaque [5] [4]. Some named scientists have acknowledged relationships but dispute or clarify the nature and amount of funds they personally received; for example, the Chronicle updated reporting after Jennifer Jacquet said she never got money from Epstein for her research [4]. Available sources do not provide a comprehensive, itemized list of every scientist plus exact amounts.
4. Institutional routing and “tainted” funds: how money flowed
Epstein used foundations such as the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation and later Gratitude America to channel support, and he also made direct gifts. Institutions accepted those funds for centers, fellowships and programmatic work [7] [8]. Harvard’s own disclosures and journalism showed donations went to program directors and centers, illustrating how philanthropy was routed into academic units rather than only to individual payees [1] [6].
5. Why the amounts matter: science, reputation and power
Journalists and academics argue that Epstein’s donations — modest in the context of major endowments but concentrated on elite programs and researchers — conferred prestige and access that outsize the dollar totals would suggest. Wired, The Verge and Scientific American trace how targeted gifts ($6.5 million to one Harvard program, recurring institutional donations, $20m/year estimates reported in earlier coverage) amplified Epstein’s influence in science circles [9] [10] [1]. The Guardian cited claims Epstein sometimes gave as much as $20 million a year to fund scientists, a figure used to illustrate scale rather than a fully documented annual accounting in the released records [10].
6. Limits of the public record and competing narratives
The public record remains partial. House releases total tens of thousands of pages but do not produce a neat spreadsheet listing every recipient and dollar, and Epstein’s foundations’ filings are incomplete or opaque [11] [5]. Some scientists deny taking money or emphasize donations supported legitimate research; others have been criticized for accepting Epstein’s patronage. The Chronicle and Scientific American note both personal correspondence and contested claims — for example, Krauss acknowledged knowing Epstein while distancing himself from later criminal allegations, and some recipients later publicly apologized or returned funds [4] [1].
7. Takeaway for readers seeking specifics
If you want definitive, itemized names‑and‑amounts for every scientist, available sources do not produce that complete list; current reporting provides clear institutional totals (Harvard’s $6.5m plus $2.4m; Santa Fe’s ~$250k–$275k) and identifies many prominent contacts in Epstein’s emails, but individual payment records remain fragmentary and sometimes disputed [1] [2] [3]. Continued congressional document releases and investigative reporting are the best path to fuller accounting; for now, rely on institutional disclosures and major investigative pieces cited above for confirmed sums [6] [2] [5].