Leon Botstein’s communications and relationship with Epstein under review by WilmerHale law firm, while Bard president says he never witnessed anything inappropriate
A victim of Jeffrey Epstein who had previous interactions with Leon Botstein said she believed the Bard College president, whose relationship with the late sex offender is currently under review, was part of a group of influential and accomplished men whose proximity to Epstein helped to rehabilitate his reputation.
Svetlana Pozhidaeva, a former Russian model who worked as a “staffer” for Epstein, told the Guardian in an interview that she saw Botstein with Epstein together “quite frequently” – including having flown with him on a trip to Epstein’s island in December 2012 – and that she believed his reputation as a “sophisticated intellectual” helped “legitimize” Epstein.
Pozhidaeva first disclosed some details about her abuse anonymously in a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article published in 2023, in which she alleged Epstein controlled her immigration, finances and housing, and – as is common in trafficking cases – pressured her to introduce him to other models. Over the course of a decade, she was one of several women Epstein sexually exploited under the guise of the “assistant” role, the WSJ noted.
