Marlene Edme

Snapshot

Moshe Hoffman is an economist and behavioral scientist whose name appears repeatedly in Jeffrey Epstein’s released calendars, emails, academic correspondence, and arrangements involving Harvard University and the MIT Media Lab.

The documentary record shows more than an incidental mention in a contact list. Hoffman corresponded directly with Epstein, thanked him for professional introductions, discussed questions in social science, and appeared in meeting arrangements coordinated through Harvard researcher Martin Nowak.

Additional records establish that Hoffman used apartments provided through Epstein’s network during a March 2019 visit to New York. Those records significantly extend the chronology beyond the academic correspondence of 2013 through 2018.

These interactions matter because they illustrate how Epstein maintained access to scientific researchers, offered professional introductions, and extended hospitality years after his 2008 conviction for a sexual offense involving a minor.

The evidence must nevertheless be interpreted carefully. Professional contact, accommodation, or acceptance of hospitality does not establish knowledge of Epstein’s trafficking activities or participation in his crimes.

Key Takeaways

• Hoffman had documented contact with Epstein beginning in 2013. Epstein’s calendars and subsequent correspondence place him within Martin Nowak’s Harvard research circle.
• Epstein offered professional and social hospitality. Reporting based on released correspondence describes an offer to arrange a Broadway outing for Hoffman during a 2013 New York visit.
• A March 2016 calendar included a meeting with Hoffman. The appointment was part of a larger itinerary involving prominent scientists and MIT Media Lab figures.
• Hoffman directly thanked Epstein in May 2016. His email acknowledged previous conversations and introductions to John Brockman and Ehud Barak.
• Their correspondence included substantive academic discussion. Hoffman sent Epstein five questions about social sciences, incentives, beliefs, and human behavior.
• Martin Nowak attempted to arrange another meeting in February 2018. The surviving itinerary marked Hoffman’s participation as tentative.
• Contact continued into 2019. Correspondence documents Hoffman’s request for accommodation and confirms that he and companions stayed in Epstein-provided apartments in March.
• No documented involvement in sexual exploitation has been established. The evidence concerns academic networking, correspondence, hospitality, and access.

Who Is Moshe Hoffman?

According to his Harvard University academic biography, Moshe Hoffman studies game theory, evolutionary models, learning, incentives, and human behavior.

His research examines why people cooperate, how beliefs develop, why certain social norms persist, and how incentives influence behavior that individuals may not fully understand.

He earned his PhD in economics from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His academic career has included Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology.

His work intersects with evolutionary game theory, behavioral economics, and the mathematical study of cooperation.

These subjects overlapped with the interests of Martin Nowak, the Harvard mathematician who directed the university’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics.

Harvard’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics

The Harvard investigation into Epstein’s university connections documented Epstein’s long relationship with Martin Nowak and the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics.

The program was established following a substantial Epstein donation to Harvard. It became an important location within Epstein’s academic network.

Nowak regularly hosted Epstein and facilitated introductions to researchers interested in mathematics, genetics, behavior, evolution, and related scientific fields.

Hoffman worked within this overlapping research environment. His academic association with Nowak explains a documented route through which he encountered Epstein.

That professional connection should not be confused with proof that Hoffman personally received Epstein’s financial support.

Academic Research Appearing in the Epstein Files

A scientific manuscript titled Cooperating Without Looking appears in the released records under EFTA00632631.

The manuscript identifies Moshe Hoffman, Erez Yoeli, and Martin Nowak as researchers examining cooperation and the decision-making processes behind cooperative behavior.

Its central question concerns why individuals sometimes judge an uncalculating act of generosity more favorably than an identical act performed after weighing personal costs.

The manuscript’s acknowledgments identify research funding sources, including the John Templeton Foundation. They do not establish that Epstein personally commissioned or financed this particular manuscript.

The document is significant for identifying Hoffman’s research collaborations and the intellectual context of his academic connections.

Its presence in Epstein’s files cannot, by itself, establish personal sponsorship or participation in Epstein’s unrelated activities.

The 2013 Introduction and Early Meetings

The documentary record places Moshe Hoffman in Epstein’s academic network during 2013.

According to a February 25, 2026 Boston Globe investigation, Hoffman first met Epstein in Martin Nowak’s Harvard laboratory in 2013.

The newspaper reported that Epstein subsequently offered hospitality when Hoffman was planning a visit to New York.

The Broadway Offer

The Boston Globe reported that Epstein proposed having one of his assistants take Hoffman to a Broadway show at Epstein’s expense.

The assistant discussed the possibility of additional entertainment suitable for a visiting mathematician.

This reporting documents an offer of hospitality. The material independently examined for this profile does not establish whether the proposed Broadway outing actually took place.

The distinction matters because Epstein frequently offered professional contacts access to entertainment, travel arrangements, accommodation, and influential people.

These offers formed part of the broader network through which he maintained relationships with academics and other prominent individuals.

November 24, 2013 Calendar Entry

A November 2013 scheduling record includes a 12:30 p.m. appointment with Moshe Hoffman on November 24.

The appointment appears within Epstein’s New York itinerary, near other scheduled contacts, including Joi Ito.

The calendar establishes that a meeting was planned. It does not independently confirm that Hoffman arrived, identify everyone present, or document the substance of the conversation.

The appointment nevertheless places Hoffman within the group of researchers Epstein was attempting to meet during that period.

March 17, 2016: Cambridge and MIT Media Lab Meetings

The March 2016 itinerary identifies another proposed meeting with Moshe Hoffman during Epstein’s visit to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The schedule includes a noon appointment with Hoffman and additional engagements involving John Brockman, Max Brockman, Nicholas Negroponte, Joi Ito, and other research figures.

The day’s activities included appointments connected to the MIT Media Lab and a memorial gathering for Marvin Minsky.

Multiple copies of the itinerary survive, including EFTA00293621 and EFTA00315398.

These are overlapping versions of the same planned research visit. They must not be counted as three separate meetings with Hoffman.

The itinerary is evidence of planning rather than a complete attendance record. However, Hoffman’s direct email to Epstein several weeks later confirms that at least one substantive interaction had occurred.

The documents do not establish whether the Brockman and Barak introductions Hoffman subsequently acknowledged occurred on March 17 or on separate occasions.

May 3, 2016: Hoffman’s Direct Email to Epstein

One of the strongest documentary records is EFTA00828227, containing a May 3, 2016 email exchange between Hoffman and Epstein.

The email’s subject concerns greetings, thanks, and Hoffman’s five major questions for the social sciences.

Hoffman thanked Epstein for making time to meet and for introductions to John Brockman and Ehud Barak.

He described the conversations as educational and expressed hope that ideas emerging from them might eventually develop into books.

The email demonstrates several important facts. Hoffman and Epstein had communicated directly. Hoffman understood Epstein to be providing professional introductions. Their conversations had included academic ideas rather than merely logistical arrangements.

The message also establishes that Hoffman viewed Epstein as someone whose interest in his research was worth maintaining.

The Five Questions for Social Science

Hoffman explained that Martin Nowak had suggested he send Epstein a selection of questions he considered especially important.

The questions concerned broad problems in the social sciences, including the origins of moral and political beliefs, incentives, human decision making, scientific institutions, and the processes through which beliefs and behavior change.

Hoffman offered to discuss those questions further.

Epstein responded with a short methodological suggestion. He encouraged Hoffman to consider distributions rather than treating certain human characteristics as simply present or absent.

The exchange illustrates how Epstein participated in discussions with researchers despite lacking a conventional academic research appointment or doctoral scientific credentials.

It also documents an intellectual relationship involving Epstein, Hoffman, Nowak, and figures introduced through Epstein’s broader network.

What the Email Does Not Establish

The correspondence does not establish that Epstein financed Hoffman’s research, employed him as a consultant, obtained confidential scientific data, or commissioned a particular book.

Nor does it establish the outcome of any proposed publication arising from their discussions.

Its evidentiary value lies in documenting actual communication, acknowledged introductions, and the subjects they discussed.

February 2018: Martin Nowak Requests Another Meeting

On February 15, 2018, Martin Nowak contacted Epstein’s office concerning an upcoming research visit.

The email preserved in EFTA02237954 shows Nowak asking whether time could be found for Moshe Hoffman.

Epstein’s assistant replied that she was awaiting confirmation about whether Epstein wanted Hoffman included.

The itinerary contained several planned academic engagements, including meetings with George Church, Joscha Bach, Joi Ito, and researchers connected to the MIT Media Lab.

A subsequent February 16 scheduling record retained Hoffman as a tentative appointment for February 17, with Nowak responsible for organizing it.

The use of a tentative designation is important.

Although Hoffman was being considered for inclusion, neither of these records independently establishes that the proposed February 17 meeting occurred.

The documents support continued professional contact through Nowak’s academic network, not an independently confirmed encounter on that specific date.

February 2019: Contact Continued Despite Epstein’s Public Scrutiny

Hoffman’s documentary connection to Epstein did not end with the 2018 meeting arrangements.

The Boston Globe’s 2026 investigation reported that Hoffman contacted Epstein’s assistant in February 2019 while planning another visit to New York.

According to the newspaper, Hoffman acknowledged seeing negative press about Epstein and asked whether Epstein might accommodate him and accompanying friends in one of his apartments.

The assistant expressed frustration to Epstein about receiving a request for hospitality without what she regarded as sufficient concern for him amid the negative coverage.

Those statements are reported from correspondence examined by the newspaper. The specific February message has not been independently matched here to an EFTA identifier.

The exchange is significant because it places the continuing relationship in a period following renewed public scrutiny generated by reporting on Epstein’s treatment of minors and the failures of the original federal investigation.

Recognition of negative coverage is not, by itself, evidence that Hoffman knew about every allegation or understood the full extent of Epstein’s crimes.

March 2019: Use of Epstein-Provided New York Apartments

The March 2019 records provide stronger evidence of hospitality than an invitation or tentative schedule alone.

EFTA02630884 preserves a March 9, 2019 email from Epstein’s assistant Lesley Groff to Epstein concerning Moshe Hoffman’s arrival.

Groff reported that Hoffman had arrived late the preceding evening. She forwarded Hoffman’s acknowledgment that the group had arrived safely and that the apartments were satisfactory.

Hoffman also expressed interest in learning whether Epstein might have free time during the visit.

This correspondence establishes that Hoffman and his companions had arrived and were using accommodations arranged through Epstein’s network.

March 10: Departure Confirmation

A second record, EFTA02279180, contains correspondence dated March 10, 2019.

Hoffman advised Epstein’s assistant that the group had vacated the apartments and expressed gratitude for the accommodation.

He asked that his appreciation be passed along to Epstein.

Together, the March 9 and March 10 communications establish an actual stay, rather than merely a proposed reservation.

They do not establish that Hoffman met Epstein in person during that visit, identify every person accompanying Hoffman, or establish that any misconduct occurred in connection with the accommodation.

The records are nevertheless an important part of the relationship’s chronology. They show that the professional association extended into material hospitality in 2019.

The Broader Harvard and MIT Research Network

Hoffman’s correspondence belongs within a wider record of Epstein’s relationships with academic institutions and researchers.

The Harvard University investigation published in 2020 confirmed that the university had received approximately $9.1 million in Epstein donations between 1998 and 2008.

Epstein’s relationship with Harvard did not end with those contributions. Released correspondence documents subsequent visits, scientific discussions, introductions, and personal relationships with individual researchers.

Martin Nowak served as an important connection between Epstein and scientists studying evolution, mathematics, and human behavior.

Joi Ito, formerly director of the MIT Media Lab, was another prominent figure in the surrounding academic network.

John Brockman, a literary agent associated with prominent scientists and intellectuals, also appears in the same correspondence environment.

Hoffman’s May 2016 acknowledgment of an introduction to Brockman provides a direct example of Epstein using those relationships to connect researchers with influential individuals.

These relationships illustrate how academic prestige, philanthropy, social access, and professional networking sometimes overlapped within Epstein’s circle.

However, it would be inaccurate to treat every researcher associated with the same institution or appearing on the same calendar as having identical knowledge, motivations, or involvement.

Each individual’s actions must be evaluated through their own correspondence and documented conduct.

Funding, Favors, and the Limits of the Financial Record

Three different forms of benefit must be distinguished when examining Hoffman’s connection to Epstein.

Academic Funding

Harvard’s Program for Evolutionary Dynamics had a documented institutional connection to Epstein’s earlier philanthropy.

Hoffman’s research association with the program does not establish that Epstein personally paid him, supported his salary, or financed a particular project.

The research manuscript preserved in the files identifies academic collaborators and funding acknowledgments, but it is not evidence of a direct Epstein payment to Hoffman.

Professional Introductions

Hoffman’s May 2016 email directly acknowledges introductions facilitated by Epstein.

Professional introductions are a documented benefit of the relationship. They are not equivalent to a monetary transaction.

Personal Hospitality

The March 2019 accommodation correspondence establishes that Hoffman and companions used apartments provided through Epstein’s network.

This was a tangible form of hospitality. It should be documented separately from academic funding and financial compensation.

The specific financial cost of that hospitality, any reimbursement arrangements, and the identities of all accompanying guests were not established by the records evaluated here.

Documented Chronology

Evidence Appearances

The following index identifies key documents concerning Hoffman’s professional background, correspondence, appointments, and accommodation. Several records are copies or versions of the same event and should not be counted independently.

Evidence Limits and Unresolved Questions

The record establishes several years of contact between Hoffman and Epstein, but important questions remain unresolved.

• Full correspondence: The indexed documents do not establish that every message mentioning Hoffman has been individually reviewed or reconciled across duplicate releases.
• 2013 Broadway outing: Investigative reporting documents an offer of entertainment, but independently confirmed attendance has not been established here.
• 2016 meetings: The direct followup email confirms substantive contact but does not establish the complete content or exact location of every conversation.
• February 2018 appointment: The surviving records describe a proposed meeting rather than confirmed attendance.
• 2019 accommodation: The arrival and departure correspondence confirms the stay, but does not establish a personal meeting with Epstein during that visit.
• Financial support: Direct personal payments, consulting fees, or Epstein-funded research projects involving Hoffman have not been established in the reviewed evidence.
• Criminal involvement: The examined records do not establish Hoffman’s participation in Epstein’s sexual abuse or trafficking activities.
• Photographic identification: A photograph containing a person believed to be Hoffman should not be treated as verified without reliable identity confirmation.

In particular, names appearing near each other in a calendar, copied email, academic publication, or organization chart do not prove that every named person attended the same gathering or shared knowledge of another individual’s conduct.

This article documents identifiable records and reporting available through October 17, 2026. It does not represent an independently completed, document-by-document audit of every Epstein-file collection.

Related EpsteinWiki Articles

• Martin Nowak, Harvard researcher and a central academic contact in Epstein’s network.
• Joi Ito, former MIT Media Lab director whose academic network overlapped with Epstein’s.
• Harvard University and Jeffrey Epstein, institutional research and philanthropy connections.

Conclusion

Moshe Hoffman’s documented relationship with Jeffrey Epstein extended beyond a single calendar entry or isolated email.

The record establishes repeated academic contact beginning in 2013, direct discussions and professional introductions acknowledged in 2016, further attempts to arrange meetings in 2018, and the use of Epstein-provided accommodations in March 2019.

These interactions demonstrate the ways Epstein maintained relationships within academic circles through intellectual discussions, social introductions, and personal hospitality.

Hoffman’s direct correspondence provides stronger evidence of actual contact than scheduling records alone. The March 2019 apartment correspondence provides additional evidence of a completed hospitality arrangement.

At the same time, the reviewed documents do not establish that Hoffman received direct personal research funding from Epstein, participated in his trafficking activities, or possessed specific knowledge of crimes beyond what public reporting and his own correspondence establish.

The institutional significance lies in the persistence of these academic relationships years after Epstein’s original conviction. The individual significance must remain limited to what the documents establish about Hoffman himself.

Responsible investigation requires documenting both the relationship and its evidentiary limits without converting social or professional contact into unsupported allegations of criminal behavior.

Questions and Answers

Who is Moshe Hoffman?

Moshe Hoffman is an economist and behavioral scientist associated with Harvard University and previously affiliated with the MIT Media Lab and Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology. He studies game theory, incentives, evolution, and human behavior.

Did Moshe Hoffman personally know Jeffrey Epstein?

They had direct contact. Hoffman’s May 3, 2016 email acknowledges previous conversations and introductions facilitated by Epstein. The precise personal nature and extent of the relationship cannot be established from that correspondence alone.

How did Hoffman meet Epstein?

The Boston Globe reported that Hoffman first encountered Epstein through Martin Nowak’s Harvard laboratory in 2013.

Did Epstein introduce Hoffman to influential people?

Yes. Hoffman’s May 2016 email directly thanks Epstein for introductions to John Brockman and Ehud Barak.

Did Hoffman receive financial support from Epstein?

The reviewed records do not establish a direct personal payment or consulting agreement. However, correspondence establishes that Hoffman and companions received accommodation through Epstein’s network in March 2019.

Did Hoffman stay in Epstein’s apartments?

Yes. March 9 and March 10, 2019 correspondence documents Hoffman’s arrival, use of the apartments, departure, and thanks for the stay.

Did Hoffman visit Epstein’s private island?

No private-island visit by Hoffman has been independently established in the records evaluated for this article. That conclusion is limited to the evidence examined, not a certification that no such record exists anywhere.

Did Hoffman meet Epstein in February 2018?

The calendar included a tentative appointment, but the cited records do not independently confirm that the meeting took place.

Was Hoffman accused of participation in Epstein’s trafficking activities?

No such accusation is established by the sources reviewed for this profile. His documented involvement concerns academic interaction, professional introductions, meeting arrangements, and hospitality.

Is Moshe Hoffman the same person as Reid Hoffman?

No. Moshe Hoffman is an economist and researcher. Reid Hoffman is a technology investor and LinkedIn cofounder. Their Epstein-related documentary records must be researched separately.

Why does Hoffman belong in EpsteinWiki?

His correspondence helps document Epstein’s relationships with researchers at Harvard and MIT, the professional introductions he facilitated, and the hospitality arrangements through which he maintained contact with academics after his 2008 conviction.

Sources

• EFTA00284786, November 2013 Epstein calendar.
• EFTA00285263, March 2016 Cambridge itinerary.
• EFTA00293621, alternate March 2016 schedule.
• EFTA00315398, additional March 2016 itinerary copy.
• EFTA00828227, Moshe Hoffman and Jeffrey Epstein email exchange, May 3, 2016.
• EFTA00632631, Cooperating Without Looking research manuscript.
• EFTA02237954, Martin Nowak’s February 2018 meeting request.
• EFTA02238686, February 2018 tentative appointment itinerary.
• EFTA02630884, March 9, 2019 apartment arrival correspondence.
• EFTA02279180, March 10, 2019 apartment departure correspondence.
• Epstein Data Wiki, John Brockman, including Hoffman’s 2016 correspondence and academic introductions.
• Harvard University Department of Economics, Moshe Hoffman academic biography.
• Harvard University, Report Regarding Jeffrey Epstein’s Connections to Harvard, 2020.
• Boston Globe Spotlight investigation, Introductions to Women. Free Flights. Business Deals. Jeffrey Epstein’s Ties to Harvard Run Deeper Than Previously Known, February 25, 2026.