Recently released documents from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation have revealed the identities of several unknown Swedish women, mainly applicants to the Female Economist of the Year scholarship at the Stockholm School of Economics. The scholarship, founded in 2001 with Epstein as a major financier, has led to the exposure of personal data, CVs, and private messages online. One of the women expresses disappointment over the lack of censorship in the documents.
The released documents from the U.S. investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein contain information about Swedish women who applied for the Female Economist of the Year scholarship. The scholarship was awarded by the Stockholm School of Economics until 2019 and was founded in 2001 by businesswoman Barbro Ehnbom, with Epstein as a significant financier. According to Dagens Nyheter, personal data, CVs, photos, and private messages have now become public and spread on social media.
Multiple sources confirm that Epstein donated more than previously known to the Barbro's Best and Brightest (BBB) network and the scholarship. Between 2002 and 2014, a total of 420,000 dollars—equivalent to over five million kronor today—was transferred via checks carried from New York to Stockholm. The funds were used, among other things, for salaries for young women in the network, food, and alcohol. Epstein influenced prize winners, and winners as well as BBB members met him in New York and Stockholm.
The Stockholm School of Economics states they were unaware of Epstein's involvement until 2015, when they carried out an administrative separation from Ehnbom. The school's communications chief, Hanna Flodmark, writes: "We feel immensely saddened that young women were introduced to a sex offender by someone they trusted and had confidence in." An email from Ehnbom to Epstein in 2010 mentions that the then-rector personally thanked him for his support.
Ehnbom's contacts with Epstein were close; emails show she described BBB women as "attractive" and "young," and suggested one as an assistant in 2013. Epstein replied: "A new assistant gives you a donation of 25k." Ehnbom has previously denied knowledge of any abuse.
One of the affected women tells DN: "– I'm not thrilled that these documents about me and other girls are being exposed. I think they could have censored them much better, so the focus is on those who may have committed crimes."
The Epstein affair has been painful for the Stockholm School of Economics, which strongly distances itself from what has emerged.
