Harvard Suspends Mathematics Professor Martin Nowak Over Epstein Ties Amid Scrutiny in Cambridge

Harvard University has placed 60-year-old mathematics professor Martin Nowak on administrative leave after revelations about his long-standing association with financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The move comes just hours after former Treasury Secretary and economist Larry Summers stepped away from teaching at Harvard due to scrutiny over his own connections to Epstein.

The suspension of Nowak, a leading figure in evolutionary mathematics, was confirmed in a letter obtained by the Harvard Crimson.

The university cited an ongoing investigation into the professor’s ties with Epstein as the reason for the administrative action.

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Limits on Research and Student Engagement

Harvard’s letter, shared with students and faculty, outlines strict restrictions on Nowak’s academic activities.

He will have significantly reduced access to undergraduate and postdoctoral students for at least two years and will be prohibited from initiating new research projects during this period.

In addition, Harvard has announced the closure of Nowak’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics.

Epstein had donated $6.5 million in cash to the program, making it the largest single gift in a series totaling $9.1 million that Epstein contributed to Harvard.

The shutdown signals a dramatic step in distancing the institution from the financier’s influence.

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A History of Controversial Ties

Nowak’s connection to Epstein was first publicly documented in a 2020 report, which indicated a relationship spanning more than a decade, starting in 1998.

The report revealed that Epstein held a key card granting unlimited access to Nowak’s program even after his 2008 conviction for procuring a minor for prostitution.

Following a separate investigation in 2021, Harvard concluded that Nowak had violated the university’s code of conduct.

At that time, the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics was temporarily closed until sanctions were lifted in 2023.

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Summers’ Exit Adds Pressure on Harvard

The fallout has intensified scrutiny on Larry Summers, a former Harvard president and longstanding personal friend of Epstein.

Summers announced he will relinquish his title of University Professor, the institution’s highest academic honor, and will step away from teaching roles at the end of this academic year.

Summers has been on leave since November 2025, coinciding with Harvard’s review of documents released by the Department of Justice in January that detail Epstein’s extensive network of influence.

Of particular note, Summers and his wife, Lisa New, reportedly visited Epstein’s private island in December 2005, shortly after their wedding—during Summers’ tenure as Harvard president.

A spokesperson for Summers emphasized that the trip occurred long before Epstein’s first arrest, stating: “Mr. Summers and Ms. New spent their honeymoon in St. John and Jamaica in December 2005, which was long before Mr. Epstein was arrested for the first time.”

Epstein himself died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

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What’s Next?

Harvard’s handling of these cases appears to be part of a broader effort to address historical links to Epstein.

For Nowak, the university’s restrictions may remain in place for at least two years, and the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics could undergo permanent restructuring.

Meanwhile, Summers’ resignation from teaching could mark the beginning of wider accountability measures among faculty with any documented ties to Epstein.

Legal experts suggest further scrutiny may follow as investigators and journalists continue to comb through financial donations, access records, and travel logs connected to Epstein’s network.

The university community is bracing for additional disclosures that may affect other prominent academics.

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Summary

Harvard has suspended mathematics professor Martin Nowak after revelations of his decade-long ties to Jeffrey Epstein, imposing restrictions on student engagement and halting his research program.

The move comes shortly after economist and former Harvard president Larry Summers announced he would step away from teaching due to his own controversial association with Epstein, including a honeymoon trip to the financier’s private island.

Both cases highlight the university’s ongoing reckoning with Epstein’s influence on its faculty and programs.