Emails show convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had a tight friendship with MIT professor Noam Chomsky that spanned discussions about vacation, politics and included an apparent letter of support from Chomsky.
The emails were part of a trove of documents released last week by the U.S. House Oversight Committee detailing communications between Epstein and powerful figures across politics, academia and business.
A WBUR review of the emails shows despite Epstein’s 2008 conviction for procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute, Chomsky stayed in close contact with Epstein into at least 2017. Chomsky is professor emeritus of linguistics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, noted activist and philosopher.
In an undated letter addressed simply "To whom it may concern," Chomsky raves about Epstein’s talents and connections. It’s unclear if the letter of support was sent to anyone. However, Chomsky likely wrote the letter in 2017 or thereafter, because he signed it stating he was a laureate professor at University of Arizona, a position he only began in 2017.
In the letter, Chomsky said he met Epstein about six years prior and wrote they had been in “regular contact since, with many long and often in-depth discussions ...”
He also boasted about Epstein’s global clout.
"Once, when we were discussing the Oslo agreements, Jeffrey picked up the phone and called the Norwegian diplomat who supervised them, leading to a lively interchange," Chomsky wrote. "On another occasion, Jeffrey arranged a meeting with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, whose record I had studied carefully and written about."
Chomsky mentions that his wife and Epstein have attempted to interest the linguist in jazz.
He ends the letter stating, “The impact of Jeffrey's limitless curiosity, extensive knowledge, penetrating insights, and thoughtful appraisals is only heightened by his easy informality, without a trace of pretentiousness. He quickly became a highly valued friend and regular source of intellectual exchange and stimulation.”
WBUR reached out to Chomsky’s wife, Valeria, who is a spokesperson for him. She didn’t respond to a request for comment. In the email release, Valeria is also shown to have communicated closely with Epstein.
In a statement to WBUR, MIT said it conducted a review of its contacts with Epstein in 2020.
“Following that review, MIT took a number of steps, including enhancements to our gift acceptance processes and donating to four nonprofits supporting survivors of sexual abuse,” said Kimberly Allen, an MIT spokeswoman.
Allen did not comment on the Chomsky emails.
Beyond the letter, the newly released communications show a close relationship between Epstein and the linguist. In an Aug. 6, 2015, email to Chomsky, Epstein wrote, “... you are of Course welcome to use apt in new york with your new leisure time, or visit new Mexico again.”
The emails with Epstein don’t detail when Chomsky visited New Mexico or how long he stayed.
Epstein owned Zorro Ranch, a compound south of Santa Fe, where he’s accused of alleged sex crimes with minors. The compound has a 26,700-square-foot mansion said to be the largest in the state, as well as a private runway and airplane hangar.
New Mexico officials are renewing a push to investigate allegations of crimes by Epstein on the ranch. Legislators in the state this month asked for $2.5 million to launch a "truth commission" on what happened at the ranch, according to ABC News.
The close relationship between the Chomskys and Epstein are again on display in a Jan. 22, 2017, email from Valeria Chomsky to Epstein, where she apologizes for not wishing him a happy birthday.
“Noam and I hope to see you again soon and have a toast for your birthday,” she writes.
In 2018, the Miami Herald published an investigation into Epstein’s 2008 deal pleading guilty to soliciting a child for prostitution. The financier was then arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in early 2019. He died in a federal jail in 2019 in New York City awaiting trial.
Other Massachusetts academics have been shown to have had close relationships to Epstein through the email release. Larry Summers, a professor and former president of Harvard University, announced he is stepping back from public commitments and taking a leave from teaching after the documents revealed the depth of their relationship.
Harvard said it would open a review of ties between Epstein and members of its community.
With additional reporting from WBUR's Suevon Lee.