Asiye Latife Yilmaz
14 March 2026•Update: 14 March 2026
ISTANBUL
The New York Academy of Art said Friday it will donate funds previously given by late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after newly released documents revealed deeper ties between him and the institution.
Recently released files from the US Department of Justice showed that Epstein’s connections with the academy were more extensive than previously known and continued years after he had been investigated in Florida over the sexual abuse of underage girls.
The academy said it will review its philanthropy policies and its approach to engaging with donors following the revelations.
Epstein, who served on the academy’s board in the early 1990s, was later approached to sponsor a scholarship program and attended several fundraising events.
In a statement emailed to students and alumni on Friday, the academy’s board expressed regret over its long association with Epstein and said the board chair will retire in April, a month earlier than previously planned.
The school said it will donate $65,900 to an organization that supports trafficked girls. It had previously given away $30,000 that Epstein had donated.
Epstein, who was accused in the US of running an international sex trafficking ring involving underage girls, died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial. His case triggered investigations and lawsuits in several countries.
