An independent investigation into allegations of sexual abuse at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan has revealed a pattern of misconduct involving dozens of former students over several decades. The law firm Sanghavi, hired by the institution, released a detailed report on Tuesday outlining firsthand accounts from approximately 120 alumni who described abuse by 47 adults connected to the school. The reported incidents span from the 1950s through the 2010s, with the majority occurring prior to 2000.

Interlochen, founded in the 1920s, serves as both a year-round boarding school for young artists and a summer camp located on a 1,200-acre campus. It has been known for its rigorous arts education and has drawn talented students from across the country. Among its notable former attendees was Jeffrey Epstein, who enrolled as a bassoonist at age 14 in 1967 and later became a donor, contributing more than $400,000 from 1990 to 2003. Epstein funded the construction of the Jeffrey E. Epstein Scholarship Lodge on campus, used to house guests and visitors. Records indicate Epstein stayed at the lodge during visits in the 1990s and 2000, periods during which he met some of his earliest known victims.

The report includes disturbing allegations from former students who described abusive encounters with Epstein. One woman recalled incidents where Epstein touched her inappropriately on the Interlochen campus and during visits to New York, where he paid for her to travel. Another alum recounted giving Epstein a massage at his home after graduation, with her mother warning the school at the time that Epstein was exploiting students; however, the school has stated there is no recorded documentation supporting prior complaints before Epstein’s 2008 conviction for sex offenses involving a minor in Florida.

In response to the findings, Interlochen officials issued a public apology, expressing regret for the harm suffered by members of the community. President Trey Devey and Board Chair Barrett Rollins committed to cooperating fully with local law enforcement by providing the names of all accused individuals to support potential prosecution or other accountability measures.

The investigation also highlighted institutional weaknesses, including situations where faculty or staff had unsupervised access to students and where donors or trustees had open campus access. Though some employees were terminated at the time abuse allegations emerged, the report cited a lack of comprehensive protections in past decades. Since then, the school has implemented stronger safeguards such as 24/7 supervision across campus, enhanced background checks, expanded reporting procedures, and the installation of approximately 240 security cameras.

As part of its ongoing response, Interlochen has offered counseling services for survivors and expressed willingness to review and remove building names linked to individuals accused of misconduct. The Epstein Scholarship Lodge was renamed in 2009 and eventually demolished in June 2024. Officials emphasized that the institution today operates under substantially changed policies and culture compared to the periods covered by the investigation.

The initial complaint that prompted the broad inquiry was brought forward by a former student in 2024 who reported abuse dating to the 1970s. Devey described the process as difficult but necessary for the community’s healing and accountability. The investigation’s findings resonate with a broader pattern of revelations involving abuse at several other prestigious educational institutions nationwide in recent years.