E-Paper
Noam Chomsky was in ‘regular contact’ with Epstein even after conviction, called it ‘valuable experience,’ emails show
A letter of support for Jeffrey Epstein attributed to Noam Chomsky said that they had “long and often in-depth discussions about a very wide range of topics.”
Emails released by US lawmakers earlier in November showed that Noam Chomsky had deeper ties to Jeffrey Epstein than was previously known. The prominent linguist and philosopher called it a “most valuable experience” to have maintained “regular contact” with the sex offender, according to The Guardian. By that time, Epstein had already been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Chomsky even acknowledged that he received about $270,000 from an account linked to Epstein while sorting the disbursement of common funds in connection to the first of his two marriages. However, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor has stressed that not “one penny” came directly from Epstein.
‘We have been in regular contact’
The emails disclosed on November 12 by the Republican members of the US House oversight committee revealed that Chomsky and Epstein even discussed musical interests and potential vacations. One of the most damning documents, however, was a letter of support for Epstein attributed to Chomsky with the salutation “to whom it may concern.” While the document is not dated, it contains a typed signature with Chomsky’s name and cites his position as a University of Arizona laureate professor, a role he began in 2017, as reported by WBUR.
Read More | Who is Stacey Plaskett and what is her link to Epstein? Explained amid censure row over texts
“I met Jeffrey Epstein half a dozen years ago,” read the letter of support from Chomsky. “We have been in regular contact since, with many long and often in-depth discussions about a very wide range of topics, including our own specialties and professional work, but a host of others where we have shared interests. It has been a most valuable experience for me.”
It is unclear if Chomsky sent the letter to anyone. The letter praises Epstein for teaching Chomsky “about the intricacies of the global financial system” in a way “the business press and professional journals” never could. It also stressed that Epstein was very well connected.
“Once, when we were discussing the Oslo agreements, Jeffrey picked up the phone and called the Norwegian diplomat who supervised them, leading to a lively interchange,” the letter read, adding that Epstein had arranged for Chomsky to meet with someone he had “studied carefully and written about” – former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak.
Epstein had also helped in efforts from Chomsky’s second wife, Valeria Wasserman Chomsky, to introduce him “to the world of jazz and its wonders,” but “with limited success,” said the letter. “The impact of Jeffrey’s limitless curiosity, extensive knowledge, penetrating insights and thoughtful appraisals is only heightened by his easy informality, without a trace of pretentiousness. He quickly became a highly valued friend and regular source of intellectual exchange and stimulation,” it read.
Further, in an email in 2015, Epstein offered Chomsky use of his residences in New York and New Mexico.
Meanwhile, Valeria, who is a spokesperson for her husband, 96, apologized to Epstein in a November 2017 email for not wishing him on his birthday a couple of days earlier. “Hope you had a good celebration!” she wrote to Epstein, according to the emails. “Noam and I hope to see you again soon and have a toast for your birthday.”
Chomsky has not spoken publicly ever since he was reported to be recovering in Brazil in 2024 following a stroke.
