Summary

Files released by the US Department of Justice show the 97-year-old intellectual Noam Chomsky corresponded with Jeffrey Epstein and in February 2019 advised the disgraced financier to “ignore” media criticism. The records include earlier exchanges in which Epstein invited Chomsky to New York or the Caribbean and asked to meet Steve Bannon, and a payment of $20,000 linked to a linguistic prize Epstein proposed. Chomsky and his wife Valeria Wasserman say their contacts began after an introduction at a 2015 professional event, that visits to Epstein’s Manhattan townhouse, ranch and Paris apartment were tied to work, and that they never attended his private island or witnessed any inappropriate conduct. Chomsky has also been reported to be in poor health after a stroke in June 2023 and is under round‑the‑clock care and unable to speak publicly, Wasserman added.

Wasserman framed Epstein’s approach as manipulative, saying he “encircled” and ultimately “ensnared” them by posing as a philanthropist and offering gifts and opportunities aligned with Chomsky’s work. She said they were unaware of Epstein’s 2008 conviction until it became widely known after the 2018 Miami Herald reporting and that only after Epstein’s 2019 arrest did they learn the full extent of his crimes. The couple expressed regret for their association, denied any knowledge of criminal activity, and offered solidarity with Epstein’s victims, as reported by Middle East Eye