Newly released files in the investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein show Princeton professor Corina Tarnita communicated with Epstein between 2008 and 2012, first as a Ph.D. student and later as a junior fellow in the Society of Fellows at Harvard. Emails reviewed by The Daily Princetonian include friendly exchanges, research updates, mentions of trips, and arrangements for two separate wire transfers to Romanian and Californian bank accounts.
Tarnita, now a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton, joins a growing list of academics who communicated extensively with Epstein after his first conviction and deny any knowledge of the criminal activity that led to him being charged in 2019 with sex trafficking of minors.
In her statement to the ‘Prince,’ Tarnita wrote she never saw Epstein “behave inappropriately” and that all her in-person interactions with Epstein were “in the company of senior, prominent scientists.” The files do not include any materials indicating that Tarnita was aware of or participated in any crimes related to Epstein.
Epstein was a frequent donor to academic and research institutions, including Harvard’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, where Tarnita was a graduate student and then postdoctoral researcher from 2008–10.
“Like most people who knew Epstein in his capacity as a donor to scientific research, I am revolted by his depravity and regret having met him,” Tarnita wrote.
The records concerning Tarnita were included in roughly three million pages of documents and thousands of videos and images released by the Department of Justice on Friday.
In her statement, Tarnita wrote that she was introduced to Epstein in 2008 while she was a graduate student and then a postdoctoral researcher in Harvard’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, a program then led by professor Martin Nowak, a longtime associate of Epstein. Tarnita is mentioned at least 344 times in the newest batch of files, which show correspondence between Tarnita and Epstein beginning in 2008. That same year, Epstein was convicted for soliciting prostitution of a minor.
Nowak, a professor of mathematics and biology at Harvard, maintained a close relationship with Epstein. In 2003, Epstein donated an initial $6.5 million to Harvard to establish the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics. Nowak left the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton to direct the new program.
Tarnita, who was advised by Nowak, was awarded her Ph.D in mathematics in 2009. She remained at Harvard as a member of the Harvard Society of Fellows until 2012.
A series of exchanges from 2009 appear to show that Tarnita helped facilitate wire transfers to two bank accounts, one located in Romania and one in California. The names associated with the bank accounts have been redacted by the Justice Department. The ‘Prince’ could not independently verify the intended recipient or recipients of the payments or the purpose of the funding.
In one email with Epstein’s accountant Richard Kahn, Tarnita shared the banking information of a “girl from Romania” who she wrote “will receive $10,000.” She later sent Kahn the wire information for a California bank account, which she indicated was to be wired $5,000.
In another exchange from later that year, Epstein’s assistant Lesley Groff asked Nowak for the “name of the University in Romania that you ‘got the people from.’” Nowak forwarded the message to Tarnita, who responded that both students were from the University of Iași.
In her statement, Tarnita wrote that while she was in the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, Epstein said he was inspired by Tarnita’s career trajectory and wanted to “support other early-career women in mathematics.” She wrote he asked her to help “with such an effort in Romania” — where Tarnita is from — for which he would be an anonymous donor.
Around the same time, Tarnita wrote that the Program “began to develop a scientific collaboration” with the University of Iași. The collaboration, she wrote, included “a visit by a group from Harvard to give talks, meet with people, and conduct experiments that are published in a working paper.”
“In the context of this developing relationship, we raised with the University of Iasi the idea of an anonymous donor supporting exceptionally promising women mathematicians,” Tarnita wrote. “The University of Iasi put forward candidates, which I helped vet based on their academic promise.”
Tarnita wrote that she recalled that only two mathematicians were ultimately selected for Epstein’s support. She wrote that she helped arrange payment to these women, “in keeping with Epstein’s stated desire to remain anonymous.”
Other correspondence between Tarnita and Epstein included a referral for help with a “visa issue,” Epstein’s facilitating of a haircut for Tarnita with a celebrity stylist, and three files suggesting that Tarnita traveled with Epstein or was invited to do so.
In a Dec. 18, 2008 email, Tarnita told Epstein she was in Romania, asked him to review her paper he appeared to have edited previously, and mentioned “the visit to Florida.” The records do not specify the timing or purpose of the visit.
Tarnita, through a University spokesperson, clarified to the ‘Prince’ that she attended one to two meetings at Epstein's Florida residence alongside “senior, prominent scientists.”
In an Aug. 11, 2009 email, Tarnita thanked Epstein for a “beautiful” and “productive” trip. “it was great to see you again and it was such a productive trip -- i've learnt so much. We have so many new things to think of right now,” Tarnita wrote in the email.
During this time, Epstein had been on house arrest following his initial 2008 conviction.
In a Dec. 12, 2011 email, Tarnita apologized for not being able to “come to the island.” In that same email, Tarnita also described having anxiety over “the Princeton situation,” apparently referring to a faculty hiring process.
Tarnita stated through a University spokesperson that she had been invited by now deceased MIT Professor Marvin Minsky to attend a scientific conference on one of Epstein’s private islands, but declined to attend. Virginia Roberts Giuffre, a prominent accuser of Epstein, said in a deposition released in 2016 that Epstein’s co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, directed Giuffre to provide sexual services for Minsky.
On Dec. 16, 2011, Tarnita sent Epstein an email saying, “great news: princeton officially wants me!”
“My interactions with Epstein naturally diminished as I moved on from the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, and they ended after I began working at Princeton,” Tarnita wrote in her statement.
Tarnita joined Princeton as an assistant professor in ecology and evolutionary biology in 2013. She was promoted to associate professor and granted tenure in 2018, then became a full professor in 2021.
“Again, I wish I had never known him,” she wrote in her statement.
The latest batch of files show that Epstein was heavily involved in academic and creative spheres. Professors at Duke, Yale, and Harvard also sustained contact with Epstein after his criminal conviction.
The Daily Princetonian continues to review the newly released documents and will continue to review additional files as they become public.
Bridget O’Neill is a senior News correspondent, head News editor emerita, and managing editor emerita for the ‘Prince,’ covering the University administration and the law. She can be reached on Signal at bridgetoneill.06.
Luke Grippo is a head News editor for the ‘Prince.’ He typically covers high-profile interviews and University and town politics. He can be reached on Signal at lukegrippo.29 or news[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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