The charities that got a piece of Jeffrey Epstein’s massive net worth

Jeffrey Epstein’s charity, funded by his net worth, couldn’t be more mysterious. Epstein, a convicted sex offender, seems to have made donations to some strange organizations through his nonprofit foundation Gratitude America. Though the foundation supposedly makes donations to companies with “American ideals”, tax returns show Gratitude America made charitable contributions worth tens of thousands of dollars to unknown companies around the world. Here’s what you need to know about Gratitude America and the charities funded by Jeffrey Epstein.

Epstein’s foundation

In 2012, Epstein founded Gratitude America Ltd., a private nonprofit foundation that’s been tax-exempt since its inception. Epstein was named Gratitude America’s president only during its launch, but Epstein “maintained control” since 2012, according to the Wall Street Journal. The foundation doesn’t have any website and can only be traced through its tax returns, which can be found on ProPublica. The foundation’s money came from a large donation of $10 million from financier Leon Black in 2015. Black was later subpoenaed by the attorney general of the Virgin Islands. Gratitude America is banked through Deutsche Bank AG, according to a Wall Street Journal report in September 2019. The bank has faced scrutiny for its association with Epstein, especially after its connection with Gratitude America was revealed. ProPublica lists filings including a November 2023 submission for fiscal year 2022. The foundation is also named in Senate bills and letters seeking Epstein bank records.

Worldwide donations

Epstein’s charity didn’t limit their donations to the United States, there are records of contributions to organizations from around the world. For example, Gratitude America gave $28,543 to a Lithuanian ballet company called Baltic Ballet Theater, according to The Daily Beast. Gratitude America also made a $57,897 donation to a Paris group called “Association for the Promotion of National Cultural Policy Conducted in the 80s and 90s of the Twentieth Century”. The Daily Beast couldn’t find concrete information on the group other than an address that led to a building full of doctors’ offices. One of the stranger donations went to Associazione MinD, an Italian psychology group specializing in psychotherapy and sexual counseling. Gratitude America donated $60,000 to the group in 2017 and $25,000 in 2018.

Epstein’s love for science

Epstein frequently donated to a number of science organizations and projects through Gratitude America. Gratitude America gave over $500,000 to the Kuhn Foundation. Chairman Robert Kuhn also created Closer to Truth, a PBS science show, which received $1.4 million in funding from Epstein to support the show. Closer to Truth was ultimately canceled because of a lack of funds following Epstein’s death. Kuhn claimed he didn’t know about the allegations against Epstein when they met. Epstein’s charity also donated to other science and research foundations including Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, Edge Foundation, and Humanity Plus. Broader 2025-2026 Epstein file releases prompted reviews of PBS-linked programs with Epstein ties.

Friends of Jeffrey Epstein

Epstein seemed to favor his friends when it came to where he decided to donate. Gratitude America donated $30,000 over two years to the Junior Tennis Champions Center. Faith Kates of Next modeling agency had a son who volunteered at the center during the time of the donation. In 2016, 2018, and 2019, the foundation donated to Hasty Pudding, a renowned Harvard theater troupe. Celina Dubin, daughter of Epstein’s former girlfriend Eva Dubin, was a member of the troupe. Total Epstein-entity donations to the group now sit at least $375,000. Epstein also donated to the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. The $25,000 anonymous donation was solicited by the son of Epstein’s accountant. According to the Artistic Director Bonnie Monte, the theatre didn’t know about the donation until a year after Epstein’s death.

Epstein’s disappearing donations

Gratitude America reported they gave more than $1.8 million in donations in 2016 and 2017, according to the Wall Street Journal. However, some foundations said they never received any money from Gratitude America. For example, the Cancer Research Wellness Institute supposedly received $100,000 in 2017 and 2018. However, founder Howard Straus didn’t know about the donation. Straus told The Daily Beast he hadn’t heard of Epstein or Gratitude America. Straus also acknowledged the large donations would’ve caught his attention. Sometimes, foundations did receive money from Epstein, but not from Gratitude America, even though the foundation reported it donated the money. Recent documents characterize some Epstein foundations as shells for scholarships and grants with questioned purposes.

Ongoing Congressional Scrutiny

Gratitude America Ltd. is listed in S.2746, the Produce Epstein Treasury Records Act, and in Wyden committee statements from 2025. Senate correspondence in 2026 questions the charitable purpose of payments routed through the foundation. The foundation appears alongside other Epstein-linked entities in formal requests for Treasury and bank records. Lawmakers continue to examine whether the structure served legitimate philanthropic goals or functioned as another layer in Epstein’s financial arrangements. Public filings remain the main trail investigators follow.

Additional Donations Revealed in 2026 File Releases

Recent DOJ document releases document previously unreported or expanded Gratitude America contributions. One example is a $50,000 donation via Gratitude America to a University of Arizona Foundation conference in 2017. The recipient initially was unaware of the Epstein link. Hasty Pudding totals from Epstein entities now reach at least $375,000. These later disclosures add concrete numbers to the donation record and show the foundation’s reach extended further than early reporting captured.

Leon Black’s Expanded Financial Ties

Leon Black paid Epstein roughly $170 million in total. The $10 million routed to Gratitude America in 2015 is now framed in congressional correspondence as a potential tax strategy. Ongoing 2026 Senate questions focus on the charitable intent of the foundation payments. Black’s broader relationship with Epstein drew fresh attention once investigators placed the Gratitude America transfer inside the larger payment history. The foundation’s primary funding source therefore sits inside a much wider financial picture under review.

Bank Settlements and Epstein Financial Ecosystem

Bank of America agreed to a $72.5 million settlement in a 2026 class-action suit over facilitating Epstein transactions. Deutsche Bank, Gratitude America’s bank, previously settled related claims for $75 million in 2023. These agreements highlight the financial infrastructure that supported entities like Gratitude America. Investigators continue to trace how routine banking services intersected with Epstein’s network of foundations and accounts. The settlements add another layer to the documented flow of funds.

Gratitude America remains a narrow but persistent thread in the larger accounting of Epstein’s net worth. Tax filings through 2022, congressional record requests, and 2026 document releases keep the foundation visible. The pattern of reported donations, recipient confusion, and renewed official interest shows how one vehicle carried forward questions that outlasted Epstein himself.