Ever wondered how Epstein built such a huge, powerful network? He used children as leverage

It turns out Jeffrey Epstein often used private school tuition payments and the perception of his influence over admissions to build his powerful network, even after his 2008 sex crimes conviction. Newly released files from the Justice Department show this was a key method for him to gain influence and foster relationships with prominent individuals.

Per the New York Times, the files reveal dozens of mentions of elite institutions like the Trinity School in Manhattan, Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, and the Masters School in Westchester. It seems Epstein either reached out to parents himself, or hopeful parents contacted him for help with tuition or getting their kids into these exclusive academies.

One example involves Joscha Bach, a German artificial intelligence researcher. In the summer of 2017, after Epstein agreed to cover over $14,000 in private school tuition for Bach’s children, he quickly followed up with a pointed request: “You have yet to tell me your insights into how people see me.” This exchange happened while Epstein was facing another lawsuit for sex trafficking. 

As long as you were of value, he ‘helped’

Bach received over $180,000 from 2013 to 2019, including about $31,000 for his children’s tuition at the German International School Boston. He stated that he did so through the advice of other scientists and because he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal conduct. He explained that Epstein offered to cover living expenses, including tuition, as part of his research funding.

Just eight days after a conflict over estate planning services with real estate mogul Mortimer Zuckerman, Epstein emailed him, implying he knew Zuckerman was trying to get his daughter into Trinity School. He wrote, “We should speak.” While it’s not clear if Epstein directly helped, he later emailed Zuckerman saying he “was glad that everything worked out” for his daughter.

We already know of Epstein’s deep connections with Academia and even celebrities like Woody Allen. Eva Andersson-Dubin, Epstein’s ex-girlfriend, sought his influence in 2021, when she emailed him asking if he could arrange for Nobel laureate Richard Axel to speak at a school assembly. She even noted that “if Woody Allen would consider this they would die!”

The files record a lot of similar instances, from paying large amounts as fees to fielding requests from acquaintances about admissions. These messages highlight how deeply entrenched Epstein remained within powerful circles, even after registering as a sex offender. 

Adam Howard, an education professor at Colby College, explained that this isn’t just about Epstein. He said that elite institutions often operate in a culture of “quiet sponsorship and leverage and social networks,” which most people simply can’t access. These networks, Howard noted, have one function: “to make and remake elites.”

Epstein also donated over $400,000 across 13 years to the Interlochen Center for the Arts, a prestigious boarding school in Michigan. Disturbingly, he and Ghislaine Maxwell reportedly used a lodge he funded there to recruit some of their earliest victims.