Epstein Used Ties to Nobel Laureates to Rebuild Image

A 2006 physics conference in the U.S. Virgin Islands funded by Jeffrey Epstein shows how he leveraged relationships with prominent scientists.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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Jeffrey Epstein used his wealth to fund a 2006 conference in the U.S. Virgin Islands that brought together around 20 of the world's top physicists, including three Nobel laureates. The "Confronting Gravity" conference was billed as a chance to discuss key issues in fundamental physics and cosmology, but it also allowed Epstein to build relationships with these prominent scientists and try to rehabilitate his image, even after his 2008 guilty plea deal for soliciting prostitution and procuring a minor for prostitution.

Why it matters

The 2006 Virgin Islands conference illustrates how Epstein used philanthropy to build relationships with scientists and academic institutions, even as he faced legal troubles. His ties to Nobel laureates and other prominent figures in the scientific community allowed him to maintain an aura of respectability, even after his conviction as a sex offender.

The details

The conference was organized by theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss, who maintained a nearly 15-year friendship with Epstein. It included talks on esoteric topics like gravitational wave physics, as well as a boat trip to Epstein's private island. While the scientists say they saw no improper behavior, they did notice the presence of several young women who seemed out of place. Epstein's arrest on sex-trafficking charges came just a few months after the conference, but he continued to fund scientists and their events in the years that followed.

  • The "Confronting Gravity" conference took place in March 2006.
  • Epstein was indicted on charges of soliciting prostitution and procuring a minor for prostitution four months after the conference, in July 2006.
  • Epstein pleaded guilty to those charges in 2008 and served a less-than-13-month jail sentence.
  • In late 2010, Krauss was organizing another event with high-profile scientists in the Virgin Islands, but it was abruptly called off for unknown reasons after Epstein expressed disappointment with the way it was being organized.
  • Epstein was arrested on sex-trafficking charges in 2019.

The players

Jeffrey Epstein

An American financier who used his wealth to build relationships with prominent scientists, including Nobel laureates, in an effort to rehabilitate his image after his 2008 conviction as a sex offender.

Stephen Hawking

A famous astrophysicist who attended the 2006 conference in the U.S. Virgin Islands and was taken on a submarine ride funded by Epstein.

Lawrence Krauss

A theoretical physicist who organized the 2006 "Confronting Gravity" conference and maintained a nearly 15-year friendship with Epstein, even after Epstein's 2008 conviction.

Alan Guth

A physicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who attended the 2006 conference.

Jim Peebles

A Princeton University physicist who also attended the 2006 conference.

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What they’re saying

“When Hawking came to my island. and said his dream was to go diving … I [duct-taped] his head to a high back chair and loaded him in a private sub, great fun.”

— Jeffrey Epstein

“It was an excellent conference.”

— Alan Guth, Physicist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“Jeffrey was interested in interesting people.”

— Lawrence Krauss, Theoretical Physicist

“I can only tell you they were younger than the youngest women in our meeting. Were they 15 or 30? I have no idea.”

— Jim Peebles, Physicist, Princeton University

“Epstein used his mysteriously acquired wealth to pursue his two great interests in life: the sexual exploitation of young women and hanging out with celebrity scientists.”

— Peter Woit, Senior Lecturer, Columbia University Department of Mathematics

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.