Big Money, Big Parties: How a Convicted Man Still Paid for Fame

Jeffrey Epstein, even after his 2008 sex‑crime conviction, kept donating large sums to a Harvard‑linked club called the Hasty Pudding Institute. The club, which runs a social group, plays theater and sings a cappella, accepted yearly gifts of at least $50, 000. Because of these payments, Epstein earned the title “Guardian of the Sphinx” and was invited to exclusive galas in New York. The events drew celebrities, billionaires and other high‑profile figures. He received a final invitation in early 2019, just months before federal authorities charged him with sex‑trafficking.The case was still pending when Epstein died in a Manhattan jail in August 2019. His continued support of the club shows how wealthy individuals can use philanthropy to maintain influence, even after serious legal troubles. The Hasty Pudding’s reliance on large donors raises questions about how charitable organizations vet the backgrounds of their benefactors. If a club can accept money from someone with a criminal record, what does that say about the standards of other nonprofits? The situation urges society to examine whether giving money is enough, or if deeper scrutiny is needed.