Key facts
- An investigation into Interlochen Center for the Arts revealed 70 accounts of sexual misconduct by 47 faculty and staff members.
- Two alumni reported sexual conduct by major donor Jeffrey Epstein, including at a school lodge that previously bore his name.
- Alleged misconduct spans from the 1950s through the 2010s, with most incidents before 2000.
- Interlochen has provided the names of accused individuals to Grand Traverse County authorities.
- The school's president and board chair issued an apology for past harm and emphasized current safety policies.
An investigation into the Interlochen Center for the Arts has revealed dozens of sexual misconduct allegations against faculty and staff, including reports involving major donor Jeffrey Epstein. The investigation, conducted by Sanghavi Law Office, compiled 70 testimonies from former students alleging sexual misconduct by 47 members of the faculty and staff, with incidents spanning from the 1950s through the 2010s, the majority occurring before 2000.
Two alumni specifically reported sexual conduct by Epstein, who was a camper in 1967 and donated over $400,000 to the school between 1990 and 2003. One woman stated that Epstein rubbed her body over her clothes, which she indicated was accidental. Another reported that Epstein may have asked her to remove her top during a massage at his home. At least two former Interlochen alumni have also made accusations of grooming and abuse against Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, according to federal records and news reports.
Interlochen had previously removed Epstein's name from a lodge after his 2008 sex offense conviction; the building, later renamed Green Lake Lodge, was recently demolished. The school has provided the names of the accused individuals to Grand Traverse County authorities. The president of Interlochen, Trey Davey, and the chair of its board of directors, Barrett Rollins, issued an apology, stating, "We deeply regret the harm suffered by members of our community and offer our apologies to those who were affected by abuse at Interlochen." They emphasized that the institution is fundamentally different today with comprehensive safety policies.