American billionaire Epstein, as most likely know, was arrested on child sex charges. He hobnobbed with everyone. Names you may know:
As a philanthropist, Epstein aligned himself with many prominent scientists and leading thinkers, including Lawrence Krauss, a prominent theoretical physicist, bestselling author, and so-called “celebrity scientist” who directed a program on the origins of life that Epstein funded. Krauss gave a glowing quote in defense of his benefactor to the Daily Beast following Epstein’s brief incarceration. “If anything, the unfortunate period he suffered has caused him to really think about what he wants to do with his money and his time, and support knowledge,” Krauss told the Daily Beast in 2011. “Jeffrey has surrounded himself with beautiful women and young women but they’re not as young as the ones that were claimed. As a scientist I always judge things on empirical evidence and he always has women ages 19 to 23 around him, but I’ve never seen anything else, so as a scientist, my presumption is that whatever the problems were I would believe him over other people.” Coincidentally, Krauss himself was put on paid leave by Arizona State University after facing his own sexual misconduct allegations in 2018; an ASU investigation found sufficient evidence that Krauss had violated its sexual harassment policies. Though he denied the claims, he retired shortly thereafter.
E. J. Dickson, “Accused Sex Trafficker Jeffrey Epstein’s Political Connections: A Guide” at Rolling Stone
Some groups that readers might recognize received funds from Epstein and are now squirming:
The Santa Fe Institute says the last donation it received from Epstein was in 2010… Jenna Marshall, spokesperson for the institute, told NBC News in an email that Epstein’s behavior was “appalling” and that SFI had not accepted any money from him since 2010. “Following news of Mr. Epstein’s actions,” said Marshall, “the SFI leadership team held a meeting and unanimously decided the Institute would not accept any donations from Mr. Epstein.”
NautilusThink, which publishes the science magazine Nautilus, received a $25,000 donation from Epstein’s foundation in 2017, according to federal filings. John Steele, publisher and editorial director of Nautilus, said, “We have not returned it. But we’re starting to think about it now.”
Laura Strickler and Shelby Hanssen, “Jeffrey Epstein may have exaggerated his charity donations” at NBC News
Just because people are in the news doesn’t mean they did anything. It rather shows how a bad actor can change the news picture.
See also: Alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein pledged $30 million for Harvard evolution program. Some of these areas would seem to be science issues and others only questionably so. It is much easier to get general, evidence-based agreement on what constitutes cancer and its remedies, for example, than on what constitutes selfishness and its remedies.
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