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Jeffrey Epstein donated $6.5 million to Harvard to support Martin Nowak, who also visited Epstein’s island in 2013, per emails released by the DOJ.
A Harvard University professor previously sanctioned by the school due to his ties to Jeffrey Epstein has been placed on leave, pending a new investigation, the university confirmed Wednesday.
Martin Nowak, a mathematics and biology professor in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, was placed on paid administrative leave as Harvard reviews the Department of Justice’s continued releases of documents related to Epstein, a convicted sex offender, according to reporting from The Harvard Crimson.
The FAS Faculty Conduct Committee recommended the college “conduct a formal investigation to determine whether Professor Nowak violated FAS or University policies and standards of professional conduct,” FAS Dean Hopi Hoekstra wrote in a letter to faculty.
A Harvard spokesperson confirmed the Crimson’s reporting.
Nowak’s leave comes as former Harvard president and economist Larry Summers announced his resignation after the DOJ documents showed his close relationship with Epstein. In November, the former Clinton secretary initially went on leave and stepped back from public commitments.
Nowak was known for running Harvard’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, where Epstein repeatedly visited and met with other professors, according to the files. When Nowak and Epstein’s close ties initially surfaced, Harvard closed the program in 2021 and barred Nowak from leading any new research projects or taking on new advisees for two years. He was still allowed to teach.
Of the $9 million Epstein and his foundations donated to Harvard, his largest gift was $6.5 million to establish Nowak’s PED in 2003. Epstein also repeatedly praised Nowak on the his science-related website, The Boston Globe previously reported.
Professor visited Epstein’s island, gave him Harvard office, keycard
Since Congress passed a law requiring transparency, the DOJ has been releasing millions of pages of documents related to the disgraced financier. In a searchable database, Nowak’s full name returns more than 4,000 results, including emails setting up appointments to meet at the PED and arrangements for meetings with other local academics between the early 2000s through 2018.
Epstein, whose 2019 death was ruled a suicide, likely visited PED’s offices more than 40 times between 2010 and 2018, Harvard writes in its own 2020 report on Epstein, where Epstein had an office and keycard access.
Speaking to Vanity Fair in 2003 for a profile on Epstein, Nowak credited Epstein’s introduction for his move from Princeton University, where he headed the theoretical biology program beginning in 1998, to Harvard in 2003.
Epstein’s longtime assistant also booked Nowak a trip to “the island,” sharing airline tickets from Boston to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands for a January 2013 trip, according to the DOJ’s files. Epstein’s island, known as Little St. James, is located in the Virgin Islands, southeast of St. Thomas. Again in 2014, Epstein’s assistant wrote to remind Epstein that “Martin Nowak is asking if he can go to the island March 1.”
Nowak’s name also appears in the testimony of Juan Alessi, who worked for Epstein, confirming Nowak was a guest at Epstein’s home but not recalling if he had massages on the property.
According to a Globe Spotlight report, Nowak was introduced to two Eastern European women who met Epstein in their early 20s, who provided financial support before demanding nude photographs. Nowak, referred to by the Globe as Epstein’s “inside man at Harvard,” said he was unaware the two women were exploited by Epstein.
“I had no knowledge of his crimes,” Nowak told the Globe. “I was urged to cultivate Mr. Epstein to continue his financial support of academic endeavors.”
In May of 2019, Nowak reached out to Epstein’s assistance to remove PED from Epstein’s website, according to an email in the files.
“The sooner the better please,” Nowak wrote. “Things are getting very strange here.”
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