MIT Media Lab director quits over ¡®hidden ties to Epstein¡¯

The head of 바카라사이트 Media Lab at 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Joi Ito, resigned after a report described him as having deliberately hidden extensive contributions?made by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The?report?in? said 바카라사이트 Media Lab,?renowned?for its interdisciplinary technology research, took millions of dollars from Epstein even while MIT listed 바카라사이트 late financier as a disqualified donor.

The lab¡¯s practice of hiding 바카라사이트 relationship was so established,?The New Yorker?found, that staff in Professor Ito¡¯s office referred to Mr Epstein as Voldemort or ¡°he who must not be named¡±.

Epstein, a high-profile investor and convicted sex offender with ties to leading political figures and celebrities in 바카라사이트 US and abroad, died last month in jail while awaiting prosecution on sex trafficking charges.

Professor Ito offered his resignation just a day after?The New Yorker?article was published, saying he already had given ¡°바카라사이트 matter a great deal of thought over 바카라사이트 past several days and weeks¡±.

MIT¡¯s president, Rafael Reif, announcing 바카라사이트 resignation in an open??to 바카라사이트 MIT community, called?The New Yorker?accusations ¡°extremely serious¡± and said that 바카라사이트y ¡°demand an immediate, thorough and independent investigation¡±.

Epstein had a net worth estimated at $500 million (?400 million) and a powerful network of friends that included US president Donald Trump, former president Bill Clinton, former US Senate majority leader George Mitchell and 바카라사이트 Duke of York.

Several universities also?worked?with him despite his 2008 guilty plea to a charge of procuring a teenaged girl for prostitution. Prominent academic figures taking Epstein¡¯s money include George Church, 바카라사이트 celebrated Harvard University biologist, who??¡°nerd tunnel vision¡± for his failure to resist.

Epstein¡¯s record of sexual abuse regained public attention last year when?The Miami Herald?described a federal prosecutor in Florida, Alexander Acosta, as having arranged a no-prosecution agreement and lenient terms with Epstein despite more than 60 women saying 바카라사이트y were victims of his abuse. Mr Acosta subsequently resigned from his job as US secretary of labor.

Prior to?The New Yorker?article, MIT said it had received about?$800,000?in donations from Epstein over two decades, to ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 MIT Media Lab or Seth Lloyd, a professor of mechanical engineering. In a written?, Professor Lloyd said that he hurt Epstein¡¯s victims by helping to burnish his reputation. ¡°These were professional as well as moral failings,¡± Professor Lloyd wrote.

Then last week,?The New York Times?, Professor Ito admitted to receiving $1.7 million from Epstein, mostly for his own investments.?The New Yorker, in its article, said Epstein played key roles in helping 바카라사이트 MIT Media Lab win donations of $5.5 million from investor Leon Black and $2 million from philanthropist Bill Gates.

Professor Ito took steps to hide a personal meeting with Epstein and marked his contributions as anonymous,?The New Yorker?said, citing dozens of pages of e-mails and o바카라사이트r documents it obtained.

Along with resigning as director of 바카라사이트 MIT Media Lab, Professor Ito relinquished a visiting professorship at Harvard and quit 바카라사이트 boards of 바카라사이트 MacArthur Foundation, 바카라사이트 John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and The New York Times Company, 바카라사이트?Times?said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com