The Indicator from Planet Money Should colleges accept money from bad people?
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Mar 12, 2026 
Leslie Lankowski, an emeritus philanthropy scholar, and Sean Carroll, a physicist-philosopher who advises films and explains cosmology, unpack how money shapes research. They recount a 2010 Epstein approach, map his ties to academia, and debate why private donors lure scholars. Short, sharp scenes on networking, reputational risk, and the tradeoffs of private funding.
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Sean Carroll Declined Epstein's Science Invite
- Sean Carroll got a late-night call at a 2010 dinner from Jeffrey Epstein offering to support science and later an invite to a conference on Epstein's island.
- Carroll and his wife declined after Epstein's rapid, buzzword-filled pitch and the wife being relegated to 'shopping with other wives', so they walked away.
Epstein Built Influence By Trading Introductions
- Epstein used his wealth and introductions to create a network that made him valuable to academics seeking funds and connections.
- Leslie Lankowski calls it a "human Ponzi scheme" where rubbing shoulders promised multiplier effects and access to other patrons.
Tainted Money Versus Public Benefit Debate
- Universities sometimes accept donations from tainted donors arguing that funds can be used for socially beneficial research.
- MIT accepted $750,000 from Epstein after his 2008 conviction, prompting debate about reputational risk versus public good.