An independent investigation at Interlochen Center for the Arts, a prestigious Michigan fine arts school, has revealed decades of sexual misconduct allegations involving nearly 50 people, including two accounts of sexual conduct by Jeffrey Epstein, according to findings released July 29, 2026.
Interlochen hired external counsel in 2024 after alumni came forward with historical abuse reports. The investigators, led by Sanghavi Law Office, collected 70 accounts from alumni alleging “physical conduct of a sexual nature” by 47 faculty and staff members affiliated with the school from the 1950s through the 2010s, most before 2000.
The 97-page report states: “The information gathered during this investigation is, simply, devastating.” Alumni reported grooming, flirting, sexual touching, and sex, according to the report.
Interlochen removed Epstein’s name from a lodge in 2008 after his conviction on sex offenses in Florida. The building, renamed the Green Lake Lodge, was demolished recently after the U.S. Justice Department released millions of pages of Epstein files.
Two women told investigators that Epstein, who played the bassoon and attended Interlochen as a camper in 1967, engaged in conduct of a sexual nature with them. One woman reported that Epstein brushed against her body “over her clothes, in a manner in which he indicated was accidental,” according to the report. Epstein also paid for her to visit him in New York while she was a student, and she said “every time he was ‘handsy’ with her, she would freeze until he would stop.”
The other woman said she gave Epstein a massage at his home, and he may have asked her to remove her top. She had no further contact with Epstein or his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, according to the report.
Epstein was a donor to Interlochen from 1990 to 2003, contributing more than $400,000. The school expanded its investigation to include information about Epstein after the Department of Justice released millions of pages of documents related to him as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed into law in November 2025.
Outside of the Interlochen investigation, at least two alumnae made allegations of grooming and abuse against Epstein and Maxwell according to federal records and media reports. One testified against Maxwell in 2021 when she was convicted of sex trafficking.
Interlochen said it has provided the names of all accused individuals to Grand Traverse County authorities in northern Michigan. None are currently employed at the school, and more than a third are dead.
School leaders apologized in a statement posted online. “We are deeply sorry for the harm experienced by members of our community and extend our apologies to those impacted by abuse at Interlochen,” said president Trey Davey and board chair Barrett Rollins. They noted that the vast majority of incidents took place decades ago and that reports of abuse have significantly decreased over the past 25 years.
The school has established a counseling support fund for impacted individuals and is implementing additional safety measures, including partnering with external organizations to strengthen training on recognizing signs that a student may need support. Interlochen also commissioned an arts installation to honor survivors.
Sources
- Associated Press — core reporting on the Interlochen investigation findings, Epstein allegations, and school response
- Los Angeles Times — reporting on the 97-page investigation report and allegations against 47 faculty and staff members
- Interlochen Center for the Arts official statement — details on the investigation timeline, Epstein’s donor history, school safety protocols, and institutional response
- U.S. Department of Justice — information on the Epstein Files Transparency Act and file releases
