Michigan lawmakers seek investigation on connection between Epstein, Interlochen
A group of Michigan Democrats has asked the state's oversight committee to look into the relationship between the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan.
The letter, dated March 12, is among the calls for further investigation in recent months as the U.S. Department of Justice works through a Congressional order calling for the release of additional documents and files related to him.
"As I am sure you are aware, disturbing details surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's connections to Interlochen have recently come to light," the seven state representatives said in their letter to Rep. Jay DeBoyer, chair of the oversight committee in Lansing.
Epstein died in August 2019, while in federal custody awaiting trial. He had by that time been indicted on sex trafficking charges.
His co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, is serving a prison sentence.
"Based on documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice and recent media reports, Jeffrey Epstein met one of his first known victims at Interlochen in 1994," the state representatives said in their letter.
"Survivors of Epstein claim that he was allowed a significant amount of access to otherwise unattended children during his visits. It is our collective duty to ensure the safety of all children who have attended or will attend Interlochen by investigating these allegations to ascertain whether children attending this esteemed academy were exposed to Jeffrey Epstein, the extent of Interlochen's awareness and response, and how it intends to protect children from sexual predators," the legislators said.
Interlochen Center for the Arts was founded in 1928 as a youth music camp program in northern Lower Michigan near Traverse City. The focus expanded to a range of performing arts with students from around the world attending its programs.
Epstein had attended Interlochen during the summer of 1967 and donated to the Interlochen Center for the Arts between 1990 and 2003, the center said. He was also known to have made multiple trips to Interlochen in the 1990s, lawmakers said.
All donor recognition in his name was removed from the campus after Epstein's conviction in 2008, the center said. The cabin that was originally named in his honor and later known as Green Lake Lodge is not currently in use; the center is "developing a plan for alternative uses of the site."
"While the internal reviews focused on what information was reported or known to Interlochen, we are aware of information that has emerged publicly by two individuals who have shared that they met Epstein through Interlochen in the 1990s. We are appalled at what we have learned about the scope of conduct by Epstein and his co-conspirators and we expect that a more comprehensive understanding of the full scope will continue to evolve," the center said.
