Emails released by the Department of Justice have revealed that Jeffrey Epstein provided financial support to a research lab at the University of California, San Diego, headed by Vilayanur Subramanian Ramachandran, a prominent neuroscientist and former distinguished professor in the psychology department. The latest release, which includes over 3 million pages of documents, sheds light on Ramachandran’s connection to Epstein through lifestyle guru Deepak Chopra.
Chopra, who previously served as a clinical professor of family medicine and public health at UCSD, indicated that he introduced Epstein to Ramachandran’s lab as they discussed Epstein’s issues with insomnia. Chopra mentioned that he guided Epstein to learn about ongoing research in the brain sciences, specifically suggesting a visit to Ramachandran’s lab.
In a correspondence dated September 25, 2017, Ramachandran responded to Chopra concerning a study the lab was conducting on a specific “autistic savant who displays telepathy.” He expressed no concerns about Epstein’s funding for his research, noting that if Epstein was serious about supporting a lab focused on exploring extraordinary brain potential, a budget of $500,000 to $3 million would greatly excite university administrators.
Following this discussion, Epstein instructed his accountant to allocate $25,000 from his private foundation, Gratitude America Ltd., to support Ramachandran’s research on savant syndrome. This instruction was directed to be sent to the University of California Board of Regents, with the payment intended for Peter Hinkley, who was then the chief administrative officer.
Their correspondence continued into October 2017, when Chopra informed Epstein about a day spent with Ramachandran discussing the “pilot study of autistic savants,” further confirming the professional relationship among the trio.
These revelations confirm that Ramachandran’s association with Epstein goes back to at least 2009, when Epstein included him in a list of notable individuals he wanted to invite to an unspecified event in Florida, referring to Ramachandran as a “good friend.”
UCSD has acknowledged the situation, stating that the university is aware and currently reviewing the matter. The ongoing discussions surrounding this relationship highlight the complexities at the intersection of research funding and ethical considerations in academia.