The Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan has been the focus of a lengthy investigation that uncovered decades of sexual abuse allegations involving nearly 50 adults affiliated with the institution. The findings were detailed in a 97-page report released in 2025 by the Sanghavi Law Office, a Massachusetts-based firm hired by Interlochen to conduct an independent inquiry after receiving multiple reports from former students.

The arts institution, known for its rigorous training programs and summer camps for young artists, has a history dating back to the 1920s. The report documents claims of sexual misconduct spanning from the 1950s through the 2010s, with most incidents occurring before the year 2000. Alumni recounted a range of abuse, including grooming, inappropriate touching, and sexual intercourse, implicating 47 individuals who held various roles such as faculty members, staff, and trustees. Approximately one-third of the accused are deceased, while the living have often declined to respond to investigators.

Among the accused was Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender who attended the Interlochen summer program as a teenager in 1967. Epstein, who later donated over $400,000 to the school between 1990 and 2003, including funding a lodge that bore his name, is alleged to have sexually abused former students both on campus and in private settings. Two women interviewed as part of the investigation described encounters with Epstein involving inappropriate physical contact at the lodge and visits to his New York residence. One woman’s mother reportedly alerted the school years earlier about Epstein’s behavior, though Interlochen officials stated that no formal complaints regarding Epstein had been recorded before his 2008 conviction in Florida. The lodge named for Epstein was renamed in 2009 and demolished in 2025 as part of the school’s efforts to distance itself from him.

Interlochen’s leadership expressed deep regret over the harm suffered by members of its community. In a letter accompanying the report, President Trey Devey and board chair Barrett Rollins acknowledged the severity of the abuse and emphasized that the institution now operates under significantly strengthened policies designed to protect students. These include multiple avenues for reporting misconduct, mandatory staff training on professional boundaries and reporting obligations, thorough background checks, and enhanced campus safety protocols.

While the number of reported incidents has declined sharply since 2000, the report highlighted the lasting impact of abuse on survivors’ personal and professional lives. It also pointed to systemic issues that allowed such conduct to persist, including cultural factors from the 1970s through the 1990s and institutional shortcomings in addressing allegations at the time. Some alumni noted the particular vulnerability of young artists due to the intimate nature of their training and the competitive environment.

The law firm turned over names of accused individuals to local authorities in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, for potential legal action. The report concludes with calls from survivors for greater accountability, including criminal prosecution where possible, and further restorative measures to acknowledge the trauma experienced by generations of Interlochen community members.