Full Breakdown
Interlochen Center for the Arts Releases Investigation Linking Jeffrey Epstein and Dozens of Faculty to Historic Sexual Abuse
7/30/2026, 1:40:20 AM
Core Event – Investigation Findings
In the summer of 2024 Interlochen Center for the Arts hired Sanghavi Law Office to conduct an independent review of alleged sexual abuse by faculty and staff. The investigation also expands to include the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, both of whom have been the focus of federal sex-trafficking probes. Two alumni recounted that Epstein engaged in sexual conduct with them—one at the lodge that once bore his name and another during a massage session at his New York home.
Background & Context
Interlochen Center for the Arts, founded in 1928 as a youth music camp near Traverse City, Michigan, grew into a global performing-arts school. Epstein attended a summer program in 1967, later donated more than $400,000 between 1990 and 2003, and had a campus lodge named after him until the building was renamed Green Lake Lodge in 2009 following his 2008 conviction for sex offenses in Florida. The renamed lodge was demolished in June 2026 after the U.S. Justice Department released millions of pages of documents about Epstein.
Data & Statistics
- 70 alumni accounts collected.
- 47 adults identified as perpetrators.
- 180 interviews conducted during the review.
- More than one-third of the accused are deceased; none are currently employed by Interlochen.
- The majority of incidents occurred before 2000, with only a few reported in the past 25 years.
Official Statements & Responses
The school also confirmed that it has provided the names of all accused individuals to the Grand Traverse County Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s Office for possible legal action.
Criticism & Opposition
Attorney Matthew Curtis of Sommers Schwartz P.C., representing several alumni, criticized Michigan law for denying survivors a civil-court avenue for justice.
What’s Next – Policy Changes and Support
Interlochen announced several forward-looking measures:
- Expansion of resources, policies, and reporting options for sexual-misconduct concerns.
- Creation of a counseling support fund for affected individuals.
- Planned alumni dialogues both online and in-person.
- Strengthened hiring practices, background checks, mandated-reporting responsibilities, and professional training on student welfare.
- Promotion of Michigan’s school-safety hotline OK2Say for reporting unwanted behavior.
- Ongoing review of naming recognitions tied to individuals whose conduct conflicts with the school’s values.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The abuse described in the report is heartbreaking and is contrary to everything Interlochen stands for. 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
