Valeria Chomsky, the wife of linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky, has issued a public apology for the couple's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, describing their association as a 'grave mistake'. In a statement released on Saturday, she said Epstein had deceived them and that they were 'careless' not to thoroughly research his background.
The relationship has come under renewed scrutiny after documents released by the US justice department revealed that Noam Chomsky advised Epstein on how to handle media attention following sex-trafficking allegations in 2019. In a message signed 'Noam', Chomsky told Epstein to ignore the criticism, warning that a public response would invite 'an onslaught of venomous attacks'.
Valeria Chomsky acknowledged the couple had read a 2018 Miami Herald investigation into Epstein's abuse of underage girls but said they were unaware of the full extent of his crimes until his second arrest in July 2019. 'We were careless in not thoroughly researching his background. This was a grave mistake, and for that lapse in judgment, I apologise on behalf of both of us,' she said.
She explained that Epstein had presented himself as a philanthropist interested in science and had claimed he was being unfairly persecuted. 'Epstein created a manipulative narrative about his case, which Noam, in good faith, believed in,' she added. The couple attended dinners at Epstein's New York townhouse, stayed at his apartments in New York and Paris, and visited his ranch in New Mexico, but never went to his private island.
Noam Chomsky, 97, suffered a massive stroke in 2023. Valeria Chomsky said he had shared with her before his stroke that he felt the same way about the mistake. The couple married in 2014.
