An investigation into the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan revealed allegations of sexual misconduct involving Jeffrey Epstein, a notable donor, and uncovered accusations against nearly 50 other individuals spanning decades. The prestigious school hosts a summer camp and an arts academy that attracts global students. A legal firm was hired in 2024 to investigate claims of abuse by faculty and staff. The scope was later broadened to include information on Epstein, who died in jail in 2019.
Interlochen had removed Epstein’s name from a lodge after his 2008 conviction for sexual offenses in Florida. The building, renamed Green Lake Lodge, was recently demolished following the release of extensive documentation collected by the Department of Justice. Sanghavi Law Office gathered 70 testimonies from alumni alleging ‘sexual physical conduct’ by 47 faculty and staff associated with Interlochen from the 1950s to the 2010s, with most incidents occurring before 2000.
The findings of this investigation are devastating, according to the 97-page report, which noted grooming, flirting, touching, and sexual interactions reported by former students.
Interlochen officials provided names of the accused to authorities in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, for potential action. None of the accused are currently employed at the school and over a third are deceased.
“We deeply regret the harm experienced by community members and apologize to those affected by abuse at Interlochen,” stated School President Trey Davey and Board Director Barrett Rollins in a public letter. They acknowledged that while most incidents happened decades ago and reports have decreased over the last 25 years, the passage of time does not diminish these experiences. “Sexual abuse by an adult in a position of power or trust over a student is wrong, then and now,” they added. They emphasized that Interlochen today is fundamentally different from the institution described in the report, with comprehensive safety policies and a transformed culture.
Epstein, who played the bassoon, attended Interlochen as a camper in 1967 and donated over $400,000 to the school from 1990 to 2003. Two women told investigators of Epstein’s inappropriate conduct, including one incident at the lodge bearing his name. The report noted he touched her body ‘over clothing’ in what seemed accidental. He also paid for her to visit him in New York during her student years. Each time he overstepped, she reportedly froze until it ended.
The second woman recounted giving Epstein a massage at his home and possibly being asked to remove her top. She had no further contact with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Outside the school investigation, at least two former Interlochen students made allegations against Epstein and Maxwell, as evidenced by federal records and press reports. Their identities remain undisclosed. One testified against Maxwell in 2021 during her sex trafficking conviction. It is unknown if these women communicated with the law firm conducting Interlochen’s investigation.