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Noam Chomsky and his wife, Valeria, made a \u201cgrave mistake\u201d and were \u201ccareless\u201d not to thoroughly research the background of Jeffrey Epstein<\/a>, Valeria Chomsky said in a lengthy statement on Saturday, adding also that Epstein had deceived them.<\/p>\n The relationship<\/a> between Noam Chomsky, the 97-year-old linguist and philosopher, and Epstein has been under scrutiny after documents released by the justice department shed light on their friendship. As Epstein came under scrutiny for sex trafficking allegations in 2019, he asked Chomsky for advice on how to respond. \u201cI\u2019ve watched the horrible way you are being treated in the press and public. It\u2019s painful to say, but I think the best way to proceed is to ignore it,\u201d Chomsky wrote in a message<\/a> signed \u201cNoam\u201d that Epstein shared in email with an associate.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the vultures dearly want is a public response, which then provides a public opening for an onslaught of venomous attacks, many from just publicity seekers or cranks of all sorts,\u201d Noam Chomsky<\/a> wrote in the message. \u201cThat\u2019s particularly true now with the hysteria that has developed about abuse of women, which has reached the point that even questioning a charge is a crime worse than murder.\u201d<\/p>\n Noam Chomsky is one of several<\/a> prominent people who were revealed to be in friendly communication with Epstein even after his 2008 guilty plea. Many now face renewed scrutiny over their ties to the disgraced financier.<\/p>\n Some of Noam Chomsky\u2019s communications with Epstein took place after the Miami Herald published a bombshell story in 2018<\/a> detailing how Epstein preyed on underage girls and received an unusually lenient plea deal in 2008. On Saturday, Valeria Chomsky acknowledged the couple had read that story, but said the couple wasn\u2019t aware of the extent of Epstein\u2019s crimes until after his second arrest in July 2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were careless in not thoroughly researching his background. This was a grave mistake, and for that lapse in judgment, I apologize on behalf of both of us. Noam shared with me, before his stroke, that he felt the same way,\u201d she said (Chomsky suffered a massive stroke in 2023). \u201cIt was deeply disturbing for both of us to realize we had engaged with someone who presented as a helpful friend but led a hidden life of criminal, inhumane, and perverted acts.\u201d<\/p>\n Valeria Chomsky is the linguist\u2019s second wife; they married in 2014.<\/p>\n She said Chomsky\u2019s 2019 advice to Epstein on rehabilitating his image should be understood \u201cin context\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cEpstein had claimed to Noam that he [Epstein] was being unfairly persecuted, and Noam spoke from his own experience in political controversies with the media. Epstein created a manipulative narrative about his case, which Noam, in good faith, believed in,\u201d she said in her statement. \u201cIt is now clear that it was all orchestrated, having as, at least, one of Epstein\u2019s intentions to try to have someone like Noam repairing Epstein\u2019s reputation by association.<\/p>\n \u201cNoam\u2019s criticism was never directed at the women\u2019s movement; on the contrary, he has always supported gender equity and women\u2019s rights. What happened was that Epstein took advantage of Noam\u2019s public criticism towards what came to be known as \u2018cancelling culture\u2019 to present himself as a victim of it,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n