A Prestigious Michigan Arts School Just Released a Report Detailing Decades of Abuse, and Jeffrey Epstein’s Name Is Front and Center
Silenced no more.
A Michigan arts school just dropped a bombshell report detailing decades of sexual abuse, and Jeffrey Epstein’s name is front and center. Interlochen Center for the Arts, a summer camp and performing arts school, released a 97-page investigation revealing 70 accounts of sexual misconduct by 47 staff members spanning from the 1950s to the 2010s. Two of those accounts directly involve Jeffrey Epstein who died in jail in 2019 awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges.
According to the New York Post, the report, compiled by Sanghavi Law Office, calls the findings “devastating.” Alumni described experiences ranging from grooming and flirting to sexual touching and outright abuse. Interlochen’s president, Trey Devey, and board chair Barrett Rollins said. “We are deeply sorry for the harm experienced by members of our community and extend our apologies to those impacted by abuse at Interlochen,” they wrote in a letter posted online.
They acknowledged that while most incidents occurred decades ago, the passage of time doesn’t erase the trauma. “Sexual abuse committed by an adult in a position of power or trust against a student is wrong, then and now,” they added.
Epstein’s ties to Interlochen run deep
He attended the school’s summer camp in 1967 as a teenager and later became a major donor, giving over $400,000 between 1990 and 2003. The school even named a lodge after him – the Jeffrey E. Epstein Scholarship Lodge – before stripping his name in 2008 following his Florida conviction for sex offenses. The building was demolished last month after the U.S. Justice Department released millions of pages of documents about him.
Two women told investigators that Epstein engaged in inappropriate conduct with them, including one incident at the lodge that bore his name. One woman said he brushed against her body “over her clothes, in a manner in which he indicated was accidental.” Another recounted giving him a massage at his home, where he allegedly asked her to remove her top.
The report also highlights how Epstein’s influence extended beyond Interlochen. At least two alumni testified in federal cases against Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 for her role in his abuse of underage girls.
ABC News reports that one witness, known only as “Jane,” said Epstein and Maxwell began grooming her at Interlochen in the early 1990s, a process that escalated into years of abuse. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence but is fighting for a new trial or reduced sentence.
Interlochen isn’t just addressing Epstein’s role
The investigation uncovered allegations against 46 other faculty and staff members, none of whom are currently employed at the school. More than a third of the accused are dead. The school has handed over names to Grand Traverse County authorities to determine if any legal action is possible.
One former faculty member, who worked at Interlochen for over five decades before dying in 2021, was the subject of a 2024 complaint that triggered the investigation. Seven former students from the 1960s and 1970s accused him of sexual misconduct. The school is trying to move forward while acknowledging its past failures. Devey and Rollins emphasized that today’s Interlochen is “fundamentally different” from the institution described in the report.
They pointed to comprehensive safety policies and a culture shift aimed at protecting students. Interlochen has also set up a fund to cover counseling for alumni affected by the abuse. “The abuse described in the report is heartbreaking and is contrary to everything Interlochen stands for,” they wrote. “We cannot change the past, but we can be unequivocal in stating that this behavior has no place at the Interlochen we care for, not then, not now, and not in the future.”
Interlochen’s reputation as a breeding ground for artistic talent is undeniable. Its alumni include winners of Grammys, Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, and Pulitzers. But this report casts a long shadow over its legacy. The school was founded in 1928 and has long been a magnet for young artists seeking world-class training. Now, it’s grappling with a dark chapter that many hoped had been left in the past.
The report paints a picture of an institution that allegedly enabled abuse through a culture of silence
One former student said Epstein and Maxwell paid her tuition but later withdrew financial support after she refused their advances. Another said her mother called Interlochen after learning about her experience with Epstein, but there was no follow-up. These details suggest a pattern of neglect, where complaints were ignored or dismissed.
For alumni who came forward, the report is a long-overdue acknowledgment of their experiences. But it’s also a reminder of how institutions often fail to protect the most vulnerable. Interlochen’s leadership seems determined to change that narrative. They’ve promised transparency, accountability, and a commitment to ensuring such abuses never happen again. Whether that’s enough to rebuild trust remains to be seen.
The demolition of Epstein’s former lodge feels symbolic. It’s as if the school is trying to erase a stain on its history, but the report makes it clear that the damage runs much deeper. The 70 accounts of abuse represent real people whose lives were upended by those they trusted. For some, the scars may never fully heal. But if Interlochen follows through on its promises, it might at least give survivors a sense that their voices were finally heard.
Interlochen’s story is a cautionary tale about power, trust, and the systems that allow abuse to thrive. Epstein’s name may be the most recognizable in the report, but the other 46 accused remind us that abuse isn’t limited to high-profile figures. It can happen anywhere, especially in environments where young people are encouraged to trust those in authority. Interlochen’s reckoning is far from over, but the fact that it’s happening at all is a step in the right direction.
(Featured image: Roller Coaster Philosophy)
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