Ohio State investigates its professor’s alleged connection to Epstein

The Ohio State University opened an investigation into one of its professors who allegedly had an indirect working relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in the early 2000s.

The university acknowledged that it is investigating OB-GYN and university professor Dr. Mark Landon’s prior business relationship as a consultant to the New York Strategies Group, owned by Epstein, regarding potential biotech investments, Ideastream Public Media reported.

As the investigation is ongoing, it is not clear whether Landon was directly connected to Epstein in any way. The news source reported that Epstein told Darren Indyke, an attorney he worked with, via email that they were paying Landon $75,000 annually, but the email did not include details about the reason for the payment.

In his statement, Landon said that he didn’t know about Epstein’s criminal activities and that he never provided any clinical care for Epstein or his victims. The Ohio State said that Landon is fully cooperating with the investigation and that no information received to date contradicts Landon’s statement.

Meanwhile, some Ohio lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle are giving away the money that Les Wexner, who as Axios described it was “was personally, professionally and financially tied to convicted sex offender Epstein for decades,” donated to their campaigns. Wexner, who was set to testify before Congress, previously said that he didn’t know about Epstein’s criminal activity while he was working with him.

Among those lawmakers was U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, who donated Wexner’s money to charity, Husted Campaign Communications Director Tyson Shepard told 10WBNS. According to Federal Election Commission data, Husted received $3,500.00 from Wexner for his 2025 campaign.

U.S. Rep. Mike Carey, R-Ohio, who received $3,500.00 from Wexner in 2025, also announced on X that he will be donating Wexner’s contributions to charity.

“After I voted to release the entirety of the Epstein files, disturbing details emerged regarding Les Wexner’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein was a profoundly evil man whose crimes destroyed countless innocent lives,” Carey wrote in a post on X. “In light of those revelations, I am donating all campaign contributions from the Wexners to organizations aimed at preventing human trafficking and supporting victims.”

Carey Donating Wexner Campaign Contributions to Charity:

After I voted to release the entirety of the Epstein files, disturbing details emerged regarding Les Wexner’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein was a profoundly evil man whose crimes destroyed countless innocent lives.

In…

— Congressman Mike Carey (@RepMikeCarey) February 14, 2026

Other Ohio lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio; state Sens. Michelle Reynolds, R-Canal Winchester, and Beth Liston, D-Dublin; and Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin, also said they will be donating the money to charity.

“I am donating campaign contributions I received from Mr. Wexner to local organizations that support survivors of sex trafficking and abuse. I fully support the congressional investigation. As the facts are developed through the House Oversight Committee investigation, I will continue to stand with the survivors and their call for justice,” Beatty wrote on X.

She received $3,500.00 from Wexner in 2025, according to the data.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, however, didn’t explicitly say he would donate the money Wexner, his largest donor, contributed, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

As of Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Bernie Moreno, who received $3,500 from Wexner in 2025, is staying silent about the donation and what he plans to do with it.