The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The convicted paedophile and sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, voiced “interest” in investing in the construction of physics-led science institute proposed for Long Island near the Stella Maris resort, it can be revealed.

E-mails among some three million Epstein-related documents released by the US Justice Department last week disclose that the late financier was approached some seven years after he was jailed for soliciting prostitution from underage girls about helping to finance the planned Bahamas Centre for High Energy Physics, Astrophysics, Gravitation and Cosmology.

Epstein and his foundation were pitched almost exactly ten years ago by Professor Eduardo Guendelman, who Internet research shows is still based at Israel’s Ben Gurion University. The proposed project was also linked to the University of Miami and a member of its faculty, Professor Thomas Curtright, and the two scientists to this day still hold an annual science conference at Long Island’s Stella Maris’ resort.

Professor Guendelman, in a February 15, 2015, e-mail said he was reaching out to Epstein, who later committed suicide while in jail awaiting trial on fresh sex crime allegations, because he understood the Palm Beach-based financier and his foundation supported “interesting science projects”.

“One such project that you could be interested in is the establishment of a Centre for Theoretical Physics in The Bahamas,” the Israeli scientist wrote. He described the proposed project as providing, for the first time, “high level research and graduate studies” in The Bahamas on physics, with an initial staff complement of five permanent researchers, ten post-graduate students and ten doctoral students.

Professor Guendelman also revealed his plans to “request funding from the Bahamas government” and international funding agencies, adding that “considering how attractive Long Island is” and its proximity to the US east coast, it should prove an attractive venue” for hosting scientific conferences and “add consideraby to tourism”.

“I am pushing for a theoretical physics centre at The Bahamas in Long Island,” the Israeli scientist wrote. “I have been in touch with the developer and he has good contacts with The Bahamas government, but I was told additional sources will probably be needed.” It is unclear whether any Bahamian government funding materialised for the Long Island project although it appears unlikely.

But Epstein, clearly open to the possibility, replied within three days by saying: “Yes, I would be interested.” Professor Guendelman gave an immediate enthusuastic response, adding that the proposed Long Island physics centre could be “endorsed” as “an extension of the University of Miami” due to Professor Curtright’s involvement.

While the planned physics centre project may never have started, Tribune Business has confirmed that the Israeli scientist and his University of Miami colleague still visit Long Island every year for their Bahamas Advanced Study Institute & Conferences (BASIC) event that is held at the Stella Maris resort.

And a 2020 Internet posting, featuring photos of Professor Guendelman, discloses the existence of Bahamas Advanced Study Institute and Conferences. This has an address of 4A Ocean Heights, Hill View Circle, Stella Maris, Long Island, which the Israeli professor - who is described as someone well-known in the area - runs.

The documents released by the US Justice Department reveal that the exchanges involving Epstein and the Bahamas physics centre project continued throughout 2015, with references to setting up a Skype call between the financier and the two scientists. The University of Miami was said to have shown “great interest”, along with physicists from around the globe, and there was also the suggestion to seek Lyford Cay Foundation funding.

Professor Guendelman, in a February 22, 2015, e-mail to Epstein said “a developer in Long Island” called Richard Keyworth “has mentioned that he was willing to sell the land needed for the centre at a discount and also help using his connections to get some (but probably not enough) funding from the Bahamian government”.

Tribune Business records show that Mr Keyworth took over the much-touted Port St George project after the original developers pulled out. Unveiled in 2008, that development was touted as creating over 300 jobs on a 951.4-acre site in northern Long Island.

It featured plans for a boutique hotel with 146 suites/villas; 60 boutique villas; more than 300 residential lots and 331 multi-family lots; and marinas with numerous boat slips; plus golf courses, a town centre and other resort/community amenities.

The project was projected to have an annual economic impact of between $54m to $90m, and at the time the developers had also signed a 25-year management agreement with Langham Hotels International. Some 875 construction workers were forecast to be employed over the build-out phase, but none of this has ever occurred.

Professor Guendelman, in a March 29, 2015, e-mail, told Epstein that one of the posssible sites for the physics centre was “conveniently located close to the resort of Stella Maris”. He added: “By the way, I was told that the resort of Stella Maris is now for sale, but the owner wants only a selected number of people to know about this and I was told I could tell you in case you were interested. Contact Richard Keyworth.”

Epstein never indicated any interest in acquiring Stella Maris which remains for sale to this day. Professor Guendelman, though, on September 13, 2015, suggested the possibility of creating two physics centres - one in The Bahamas, the other in Israel - with staff at the latter “paid from The Bahamas (no need to pay taxes there; money goes further”.

However, the Long Island plans were briefly interrupted by the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Joaquin in late 2015. However, Professor Guendelman told Epstein in an October 7, 2015, e-mail that the destruction might incentivise Bahamian government support for the physics centre given the need to revive the island’s economy and create jobs.

“As you know there is a new situation in Long Island due to the big destruction caused by Hurricane Joaquin,” he wrote. “How it affects our plans? Well, it adds a new dimension to the motivation to build a physics centre in Long Island, Bahamas.

“In addition to the scientific side, such a project will enhance the morale of the islanders and probably get strong support and endorsement from the Government of The Bahamas and other Bahamian organisations. I am sure everybody will be very grateful to you if you were to participate in the advancement of a high-level centre for The Bahamas for both scientific and humanitarian reasons.”

Epstein, though, appears to have been unhappy with aspects of this plan although the released documents do not disclose exactly what. Professor Guendelman e-mailed him three hours after sending the first October 7, 2015, e-mail, replying: “OK, we understamd your point of view, but the northerrn part of the island where we are planning to have the centre was much less affected. We will survey the area in January.. and inform you.”

Professor Guendelman and Professor Curtright held their first BASIC conference in Long Island in 2016. However, the e-mails show that while the physics centre project may never have started, they kept in contact with Epstein by inviting him to the 2019 event.