Lawrence Krauss

INTELLIGENCE SUMMARY

Lawrence Krauss, a theoretical physicist and former professor at Case Western Reserve University and Arizona State University, resigned from his position as director of ASU's Origins Project in May 2019 following an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. In March 2018, ASU placed Krauss on administrative leave and reopened its investigation into an incident at the Australian Skeptics Convention in Melbourne in November 2016, where he allegedly grabbed a woman's breast without her permission. ASU investigators concluded that Krauss had violated the university's Code of Ethics and created an offensive environment for academic pursuits. He was removed as director of the Origins Project in August 2018 and subsequently resigned in May 2019. The case is notable because documents released by the House Oversight Committee and Department of Justice revealed that Krauss sought advice from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein—who had funded his research with $250,000—on how to respond to sexual misconduct allegations and media inquiries about them.