**New Abuse Probe Raises Epstein Behavior at Elite US Arts School**
An investigation into the Interlochen Center for the Arts, a prestigious arts school in Michigan, has unveiled decades of alleged sexual misconduct involving numerous faculty and staff members, along with new allegations concerning the late Jeffrey Epstein. The findings were detailed in a 97-page report released by Sanghavi Law Office, which was commissioned by the school in 2024 to examine claims of abuse.
The inquiry initially focused on allegations against several faculty members but was later expanded to include Epstein, who was a notable donor to the institution. Between 1990 and 2003, Epstein contributed over $400,000 to Interlochen and attended its summer camp in 1967.
The investigation gathered testimonies from 70 former students, detailing incidents of sexual misconduct involving 47 faculty and staff members from the 1950s through the 2010s, with the majority of incidents reported occurring prior to the year 2000. The report outlines a troubling pattern of behavior, including grooming, flirting, inappropriate touching, and sexual contact.
Among the allegations against Epstein, two former students accused him of sexual misconduct. One woman recounted experiences of inappropriate touching under the pretense of accidental contact while she was staying in a camp building named after him. She described how he later financed trips to New York, where the unwanted advances continued. Another former student claimed that Epstein asked her to expose her breasts during a massage at his private residence, leading her to sever ties with him and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
In light of Epstein's 2008 conviction on sex crime charges in Florida, the building that bore his name was renamed Green Lake Lodge in 2009 and has since been demolished. The report also highlighted that at least two other Interlochen alumni were mentioned in federal investigative records related to Epstein and Maxwell, with one later testifying for the prosecution during Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial in 2021.
In addition to the findings from the investigation, at least two Interlochen alumnae have previously made allegations of grooming and abuse against Epstein and Maxwell, although it remains unclear if they participated in the current investigation. Their identities have not been disclosed.
The Interlochen Center for the Arts has stated that it has provided the names of all individuals identified in the investigation to prosecutors in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, for potential criminal review. Notably, none of the accused individuals are currently employed at the institution, and more than one-third of them are deceased.
The revelations from this investigation have raised significant concerns about the culture of abuse within elite educational institutions and the responsibilities of such organizations to protect their students. As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen how Interlochen will address these findings and what steps will be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of its students moving forward.