Director of MIT's Media Lab steps down in wake of Epstein revelations

 

FILE PHOTO: Joichi Ito, Director of the Media Lab of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) attends the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 17, 2017. REUTERS/Ruben Sprich/File Photo

 

(Reuters) - The director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab stepped down on Saturday after a New Yorker magazine article revealed the lab tried to conceal donations from disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein, the university said.

 

"This afternoon, Joi Ito submitted his resignation as Director of the Media Lab and as a professor and employee of the Institute," MIT President Rafael Reif said in a letter posted online.

 

Ito could not be reached for immediate comment. The New York Times and New Yorker reported he said in an internal email, "After giving the matter a great deal of thought over the past several days and weeks, I think that it is best that I resign as director of the media lab and as a professor and employee of the Institute, effective immediately."

 

Last month, Reif said the elite university would review its process for accepting donations after taking about $800,000 (£651,572) from foundations controlled by Epstein, who committed suicide while in jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

 

The New Yorker article uncovered deeper fundraising ties between the Media Lab and Epstein and said the institution had actively tried to conceal the extent of its connections with the disgraced financier.

 

On Saturday, Reif described the acceptance of contributions from Epstein as a "mistake of judgment" and said he had instructed MIT's general counsel to bring in a prominent law firm to investigate the matter.

 

"Because the accusations in the (New Yorker) story are extremely serious, they demand an immediate, thorough and independent investigation," Reif said.

 

Ito previously apologised for having accepted donations from Epstein and had said he would raise an amount equivalent to the donations the lab received from foundations controlled by Epstein and "direct those funds to non-profits that focus on supporting survivors of trafficking."

 

The New Yorker said Ito disclosed this week he received a further $1.2 million from Epstein for investment funds under Ito's control and $525,000 for the lab. Epstein also secured $7.5 million in donations for the lab from other wealthy individuals.

 

On Saturday, Ito also resigned from the board of directors of The New York Times Co and of PureTech, a biotechnology firm, according to statements from the two companies.

 

(Reporting by Maria Caspani, Editing by Scott Malone, Cynthia Osterman and Chris Reese)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-08

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My god!  He just accepted a donation to the University...not a BJ...no you didn't!....????

I think money which helps universities and students in that university is good invested money.

And as far as I know nobody even accused Epstein of fraud or something like that. He donated money, and he donated it for something positive, what's the problem with that?

 

Should anybody who gets massages from young girls not be allowed to donate money? Or maybe any man who ever paid for sex? And how about guys who are accused of harassing women decades ago? No, we don't want your dirty money? Sure! 555

totally rediculous, how would this company know what Epstein was up to in his private life. this money was put to good use.

15 minutes ago, mercman24 said:

totally rediculous, how would this company know what Epstein was up to in his private life. this money was put to good use.

And even if they would have known what Epstein supposed to have done (as far as I know most are unproven accusations), what is wrong with his money? 

More information is needed before accusations are thrown around. All of his actions may have been above board and altruistic. I’ll wait before tossing rocks.

Yeah, the reaction seems a bit OTT at first glance, but I suspect the real problem here is not that they received donations, but they tried to conceal that they'd received donations. 

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The New Yorker said Ito disclosed this week he received a further $1.2 million from Epstein for investment funds under Ito's control and $525,000 for the lab.

I think this is the issue with regards to Ito, not the money that went to the lab. He is distancing himself from the lab to limit the damage that could potentially spill over.

I dont care if money comes from hitler himself, per se. If its used for a good reason then no issue.

9 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And even if they would have known what Epstein supposed to have done (as far as I know most are unproven accusations), what is wrong with his money? 

Epstein was a convicted sex offender, required to register as such.  He was convicted in 2008 in a plea bargain.

1 minute ago, Kelsall said:

Epstein was a convicted sex offender, required to register as such.  He was convicted in 2008 in a plea bargain.

And he was is prison for that.

 

Please tell me how the money which he and his associates donated to MIT and is somehow worse than money which other people donated. As far as I know he earned that money legally. He donated it. And the money does not change in any way independent of his sex life. It's money. And universities can use money and that money is often used is a positive way for society. What's wrong with that?

If (big if) the money he donated came from payments for procurement of underage individuals, I think the “good cause” argument becomes a fallacy. 

13 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And as far as I know nobody even accused Epstein of fraud or something like that.

This is still the standing question: how did JE accumulate his fortune?  I would think there are media people trying to follow the money, and maybe a few state governments.  If DOJ is looking into it be assured Barr is running interference for his master.

 

Remember when DT gave that speech to the Boy Scouts in 2017 and mentioned a rich guy having sex parties on his yacht?  Could that have been an Epstein reference?