Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell: Their creepy lair for luring students

Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell extended their alleged pattern of targeting young women and girls to a secluded cabin in northern Michigan, according to court filings and later investigations. The property sat near Interlochen Center for the Arts, an elite boarding school for visual and performing arts, and a junior girls’ camp. A lawsuit filed against Epstein’s estate described the lodge as one more site where recruitment and abuse allegedly occurred.

The story of the Michigan cabin reveals how Epstein used long-term donor access at an arts institution to build proximity to students. Updated records from the Department of Justice and subsequent reporting have added specific details on donation amounts, victim timelines, and institutional responses that were not available when the original lawsuit surfaced.

Jeffrey Epstein Scholarship Lodge

The cabin stood on Green Lake in Interlochen, Michigan. Epstein began funding the project in 1990 and received permission to use the lodge for up to two weeks each year. The structure measured roughly 1,500 square feet and was built as a cedar log cabin. Flight records show Epstein and Maxwell stayed there for five days in August 1998 with two additional passengers. Epstein visited again in August 2000. He continued funding the property until 2003. After his 2008 conviction the lodge was renamed Green Lake Lodge. In May 2026 the Interlochen board approved demolition to remove the association. The razing is now underway.

Epstein’s connections to Interlochen

Epstein first attended Interlochen as a teenager in summer 1967, studying bassoon at the music camp. He returned as a donor in 1990 and occasionally hosted alumni events at his New York office. Students reported seeing Epstein and Maxwell on campus during the 1990s. Internal reviews conducted after Epstein’s 2008 and 2019 convictions found no formal misconduct complaints on school grounds at the time. The institution later acknowledged two public accounts of meetings with students and launched an external investigation into historical reports. Epstein’s last recorded gift arrived in 2003. The school severed formal ties after his conviction became public.

Epstein’s little black book

The Michigan property appeared in Epstein’s address book under entries labeled “Michigan Home” and “Epstein Lodge.” The book also listed the school’s post office box, physical address, and three local phone numbers. Two Interlochen students were named among the contacts. The same document contained entries for high-profile figures including members of the Trump family and attorney Alan Dershowitz, illustrating the range of Epstein’s documented social and professional network.

Another lawsuit for Epstein’s estate

An anonymous plaintiff filed a $25 million suit against Epstein’s estate alleging sexual abuse that began when she was thirteen and continued for more than four years. Court documents and later DOJ file releases indicate she first met Epstein and Maxwell at the 1994 summer camp as a voice student. The complaint stated she was taken to three of Epstein’s properties and subjected to repeated rape and assault. She described lasting emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life. The same individual later provided testimony in Ghislaine Maxwell’s 2021 criminal trial.

Attempted recruitments

Two additional Interlochen students described separate encounters. Cellist Melissa Solomon said she knew Epstein and Maxwell for six years without being abused herself. She stated she ended contact after refusing requests to recruit younger girls from Juilliard and declining an invitation to meet Prince Andrew. Violinist Fary Bjorlin reported that in 1994 Epstein and Maxwell approached her about spending time with her thirteen-year-old daughter, Nadia. Bjorlin described Epstein as feeling “creepy” and prevented any further interaction. Reporting released in 2026 places both accounts within a documented pattern of donor access used to identify potential targets at the school.

Institutional Response and Investigations

After Epstein’s 2019 arrest, Interlochen conducted additional internal reviews that again found no on-campus misconduct reports from the 1990s. The school publicly acknowledged the two known accounts of student meetings and commissioned an external investigation into historical donor conduct. In May 2026 the board voted to demolish Green Lake Lodge. Michigan House Resolution 284, introduced in 2026, calls for a select committee to examine the institution’s past relationship with Epstein using newly released DOJ documents and victim statements.

Funding Sources and Donor Mechanics

DOJ files and Interlochen financial summaries show Epstein contributed more than $400,000 between 1990 and 2003. Approximately $200,000 supported construction of the lodge itself. Records indicate $185,000 arrived through the Les Wexner Foundation, with the remainder from Epstein’s personal funds. Rental income generated by the lodge was designated for student scholarships. These details clarify how the property functioned both as a donor perk and as a revenue source for the school.

Victim Accounts from DOJ Files

Files released by the Department of Justice and reported by NPR in 2026 identify at least two victims first approached at Interlochen in 1994 when they were thirteen. One of those individuals is the plaintiff in the $25 million lawsuit. The files describe grooming that began with offers of mentorship and invitations to estate visits. One victim testified at Maxwell’s trial. The records expand the timeline of alleged targeting and confirm that Interlochen’s donor privileges gave Epstein repeated access to students during summer programs.

Epstein's Personal History at Interlochen

Epstein’s 1967 attendance as a bassoon student established an early link to the campus. Later, as a donor, he hosted alumni gatherings and once arranged for violinist Itzhak Perlman to visit via private jet. These activities reinforced his status as a prominent supporter. They also kept him visible to students and faculty long after his own time as a camper.

The Michigan property and Epstein’s relationship with Interlochen illustrate how institutional access and donor status created opportunities for proximity. Updated records and the decision to demolish the lodge show how schools and legislatures continue to address the consequences of those connections years after Epstein’s death.