Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender now facing federal sex-trafficking charges, donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to an Arizona State University program run by Lawrence Krauss, a now-retired professor who was accused of sexual misconduct.

Jeffrey Epstein, a high-profile financier, donated $250,000 to the Origins Project over a seven-year span. The information was first published Thursday by Buzzfeed News.

The donation was made through Enhanced Education, one of several foundations Epstein ran. He also donated $50,000 to the University of Arizona in 2017.

According to ASU spokeswoman Katie Paquet, the university returned $25,000 that remained after the program was shut down in September 2018. At the time, university officials called it a "transition" to the new Interplanetary Initiative.

The university had no further comment.

'I don't feel tarnished in any way'

A February 2018 Buzzfeed News story contained allegations from multiple women of inappropriate comments and behavior by Krauss, who is internationally known as an outspoken atheist and for his work on the symbolic "Doomsday Clock."

After the story, ASU put Krauss on paid administrative leave and began an investigation.

Krauss, a theoretical physicist, was recruited to ASU in 2008 to become the inaugural director of the Origins Project. The research project explored questions about origins of the universe, human origins, and origins of consciousness and culture.

He announced in October 2018 that he would be retiring from ASU. Krauss repeatedly denied the allegations.

Krauss is included on a list "of Jeffrey Epstein’s Rich, Powerful, and Presidential Friends," published by the online magazine Slate.

According to an article published by New York Magazine, their relationship dates to at least 2002, when he reportedly flew with Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker on Epstein’s private jet.

Krauss is quoted in a 2015 Reuters article saying Epstein's “interest is in interesting people and interesting ideas,” adding that he had no idea of the accusations.

However, in a 2011 article from the Daily Beast, Krauss is quoted defending Epstein, attesting that none of the "beautiful women and young women" he's seen surround him were underage.

"I don't feel tarnished in any way by my relationship with Jeffrey; I feel raised by it," he said.

Donations to scholars, institutions

Epstein cultivated a reputation as an education activist and philanthropist. While he never earned a college degree, he has donated money to individual scholars and multiple academic institutions. That list is topped by Harvard University, most notably contributing $6.5 million in 2003 to fund a professor's research program on evolutionary dynamics.

Epstein was arrested Saturday on an indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York that charged him with sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors for sex.

Epstein, 66, is accused of sexually exploiting and abusing underage girls at his homes in New York City and Palm Beach, Florida, between 2002 and 2005.

Epstein was able to serve much of that sentence from his Palm Beach office as part of a work-release program. He had faced a possible life sentence if convicted on the federal charges looming over him.

Under a deal he cut with federal prosecutors after an earlier arrest, in 2008, the wealthy and influential hedge fund manager agreed to plead guilty to state felony prostitution charges, pay restitution to his victims, register as a sex offender and serve 13 months in the county jail.

Former labor secretary Alex Acosta on Wednesday defended his role in negotiating the plea agreement with Epstein more than a decade ago, saying the multimillionaire would have avoided jail time without the deal.

"The goal here was straightforward — put Epstein behind bars," said Acosta, a former top federal prosecutor in Miami. "We believe we proceeded appropriately."

Acosta resigned Friday as the leader of the federal agency that oversees the country’s labor laws, including human trafficking.

Reach J. Edward Moreno at jose.moreno@arizonarepublic.com or follow him on Twitter @edwrdmoreno.

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