EXCLUSIVE: The Public Relations Machine Behind Jeffrey Epstein’s Associates

GoLocalProv News Team

EXCLUSIVE: The Public Relations Machine Behind Jeffrey Epstein’s Associates

Larry Summers PHOTO: Havard's Kennedy Center

Behind every major controversy is an army of public relations executives trying to clean up and wipe away the mess.

 

On Sunday, GoLocal’s columnist Mark Curtis wrote a column that included a reference to former Harvard President Larry Summers.

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The reference was about Summers and others who have close ties to Epstein.

 

“Weeks ago, former Harvard President Larry Summers was stripped of all ties to the university,” wrote Curtis.

 

Within a few hours, a public relations executive, Rudy Wong of the Los Angeles-based PR  firm August, asked that the story be edited.

 

Wong wrote:

I hope you’re doing well. I work with Larry Summers and saw your recent article today: “A Mass Shooting, Trump’s Court Loss, and More Epstein Updates — ‘The Sunday Political Brunch’”

I’m reaching out to flag a nuance in your reporting regarding Mr. Summers. Your article notes that Mr. Summers “was stripped of all ties to [Harvard].” However, that is not the case. Mr. Summers went on leave from his teaching and administrative positions at Harvard, and he still holds those positions. Therefore, it is not accurate to say he has been “stripped of all ties to the university.” I would appreciate it if you would update your article to reflect that.

 

GoLocal CEO Josh Fenton, asked for proof that Summers had any ongoing relationship with Harvard.

Can you give me proof of his ongoing relationship with Harvard - contracts or other elements that would confirm your claim?” Fenton wrote in an email back to Wong on Sunday.

 

 

Wong's firm specializes in reputational management. "August believes that effective corporate positioning and reputation management are rooted in narrative development that allows for authentic and compelling storytelling," states the company's website.

 

Wong responded:

 Sure. It has been widely reported that Mr. Summers is on leave, which, as I'm sure you know, is different than resigning. I've included several articles below reporting this; as you'll see, Harvard Magazine reported that Harvard confirmed Mr. Summers is on leave.

 

Summers and former RI Gov. Gina Raimondo at the Kennedy Center in October of 2025

Fenton reiterated:

 Those are news stories -- looking for actual contracts or communications between Summers and Harvard.” And Fenton provided his own news story. “So the Harvard Crimson reports he stepped down. https://www.thecrimson.com/topic/top-ten-stories-2025/#top-10-2025-summers-epstein We will contact Harvard tomorrow for clarification.

 

On Monday, GoLocal emailed Harvard:

Good morning,

We are looking for the status of Lawrence Summers relationship with the Center.

The Harvard Crimson has written:

"He then stepped down or was let go from a myriad of other high-profile public commitments, including as director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School and from the board of directors of OpenAI."

The Center's website states: "on leave"

1) What is his status?

2) Could he possibly return?

3) There is a Harvard investigation; do you know the status of it?

Thank you,

 

On Wednesday, the issues were finalized. Wong provided the following statement from Summers to GoLocal

I have made the difficult decision to retire from my Harvard professorship at the end of this academic year.  

I will always be grateful to the thousands of students and colleagues I have been privileged to teach and work with since coming to Harvard as a graduate student 50 years ago.  

Free of formal responsibility, as President Emeritus and a retired professor, I look forward in time to engaging in research, analysis, and commentary on a range of global economic issues.

 

Larry Summers (L) on Jeffrey Epstein's plane PHOTO: U.S. DOJ

This was not the first time GoLocal has heard from one of Epstein's associates' PR consultants.

In 2019, GoLocal reported that Epstein served on billionaire Leon Black's foundation's board years after he was released from prison.

 

A GoLocal review of the donations by the Leon and Debra Black Foundation — a foundation that has been managed by billionaire investor Leon Black, his wife Debra, and Jeffrey Epstein- shows that it made at least one donation to Brown University.

 

There were the three decision-makers for millions in charitable donations. According to IRS documents, Epstein continued to be a decision-maker even after he pleaded guilty to sexual assault and was deemed a sexual predator. GoLocal reviewed IRS documents from 2000 through 2013, when Epstein was removed as a director.

Within minutes of the story being reported, Black PR consultants called GoLocal to say the IRS documents were incorrect and that the foundation had not been updated. GoLocal stood by the reporting. Epstein was released from prison for his sex crimes in 2009.

Debra And Leon Black Family Foundation, 990 IRS Filing 2012

This is just the latest development in the ongoing investigation into the relationship between convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein and other powerful people in government, politics, science, and technology -- globally and in Rhode Island. 

 

 

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