George Church apologizes for contacts with Jeffrey Epstein

In an exclusive new interview with STAT, Harvard University biologist George Church says “nerd tunnel vision” was likely what drove scientists like him to continue meeting with accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein more than a decade after he pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution. “I certainly apologize for my poor awareness and judgment,” Church told STAT in his first public comments about recent revelations regarding his and other scientists’ meetings with Epstein, who also served a 13-month sentence following his conviction. Scientists may not have realized the full extent of Epstein’s transgressions, Church said. “There should have been more conversations about, should we doing this, should we be helping thus guy?” he said. Church is now the only major scientific figure to publicly apologize for his interactions with Epstein.