How I met Jefferey Epstein

And why it matters

When Jack Dangermond introduced me to Richard Saul Wurman, I was unaware that I was meeting a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein. As the founder of the renowned TED and TEDMed conferences, Wurman collected artists, scientists, “thought leaders,” and the wealthy. Though I was uncertain of the origins of their connection, Jack Dangermond (co-founder and CEO of ESRI) selected Richard to deliver the keynote at ESRI’s User Conference in San Diego in 2010. I was introduced to Richard in my capacity as ESRI’s Chief Marketing Officer.

Richard was loud, demanding, and arrogant, but he was also witty and insightful. He viewed the world through a design lens, a perspective that captivated Jack. Richard’s was well-received and marked the beginning of a friendship between Richard and Jack. This new friendship led to more conference appearances for Richard and visits to Esri’s headquarters in Redlands, CA, where he would sometimes stay at Jack’s house.

Richard sold TED in 2001, with his final transition out of the organization in 2002. Tensions arose between Richard and the new owner, Chris Anderson, and by 2010, as indicated in Richard’s email to Epstein, he was no longer permitted to attend TED events. During my conversations with Richard, he expressed dissatisfaction with Chris Anderson’s leadership and shared his ambition to create a new, competing event. This vision eventually materialized as an event named www.www, which Jack hosted at the ESRI Redlands headquarters. I worked with Richard and his team to manage the event’s logistics.

Richard sought financial backing for the event and successfully secured a few sponsors, including Jeffrey Epstein.

Meeting Epstein

Jeffrey Epstein not only sponsored the event but also attended in person. I recall briefly meeting him along with the young women models who accompanied him. He exuded an air of arrogance. I asked Jack whether we should give Epstein and/or Hearst a demonstration of our technology since they were sponsors, but he said “no”. The event was attended by several notable figures, many of whom were part of Epstein’s social circles. The speaker list is mainly men and reflects the deep bias against women in the STEM fields.

Having not worked at ESRI since 2014, my knowledge of Jack and Richard’s relationship is limited to public records. However, it is evident that Richard and Jack are still connected; he has appeared at several conferences and most recently featured as a guest in Jack’s Redlands Forum this past March. Jack also gave Richard the Making a Difference Award in 2017.

Richard Saul Wurman and Epstein

In reviewing the latest batch of released Epstein documents, I discovered extensive correspondence between Jeffrey Epstein and Richard. It appears Richard was a close associate who frequently met and socialized with Epstein, even visiting his private island. He seemed desperate to maintain a place within Epstein’s inner circle, going so far as to write the following:

Final Thoughts

ESRI and Jack Dangermond are NOT implicated in these documents. However, the information underscores the far-reaching influence Jeffrey Epstein wielded across technology, academia, and the arts. Epstein was deeply embedded within academic, scientific, and technological networks, and the extent of his and his associates’ influence warrants thorough scrutiny and exposure.