Civic organizations request Harvard, Princeton look into Romanian academics involved with Epstein Eight civic organizations from Romania have launched a public initiative requesting Harvard University and Princeton University to carry out disciplinary investigations related to academics who appeared in the Epstein files. The initiators present the initiative as part of a broader effort toward institutional accountability, emphasizing that their actions are based on “primary public sources” and that the goal is “transparency and institutional responsibility.” Jeffrey Epstein was an American magnate convicted of sexual offenses, known for building an extensive network of contacts in political, academic, and business circles. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution and received a reduced sentence, which generated major controversy.