Summary5 min read

The Epstein Chronicles – Episode Summary

Episode Title: James Fine, Karyna Shuliak, and Columbia Dental’s Epstein Problem
Host: Bobby Capucci
Release Date: June 2, 2026

Overview

In this episode, host Bobby Capucci explores the ongoing fallout at Columbia University’s College of Dental Medicine over their connections with Jeffrey Epstein and his girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak. The discussion centers on Dr. James Fine’s departure from his administrative role after being implicated in facilitating special treatment and admissions assistance for Shuliak, Epstein’s girlfriend. Bobby contextualizes this latest development as symptomatic of the broader culture of unaccountability and privilege that has shielded Epstein’s network for years.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Epstein-Columbia Dental Connection

News Update:
Dr. James Fine, Senior Associate Dean for Postdoctoral Academic and Student Affairs at Columbia’s College of Dental Medicine, was forced to step down after an internal investigation into his role in Shuliak’s admission and academic advancement.
Pattern of Favoritism:
Capucci notes how Epstein’s ability to manipulate powerful institutional levers wasn’t unique—wealthy and well-connected individuals often pull strings for those close to them, as seen in other college admission scandals.

“This is something that rich people do all the time. They reach out to people...and they find a way for their family members or their loved ones to get into the university of their choice, even if their qualifications might be a little bit lacking.” (01:05)
Specifics of Dr. Fine’s Involvement:
- Wrote letters of recommendation for Shuliak in 2023 for a postdoctoral program he oversaw.
- Helped her “cheat” on a transfer exam in 2012, allowing her initial acceptance after prior rejection.
- Arranged an internship for Shuliak following her graduation in 2015 at a practice affiliated with Dr. Thomas Magnani, another Epstein associate.
- Both Fine and Magnani provided dental care to Epstein and associates and maintained extensive, documented connections with him.

Institutional Response from Columbia

Limited Consequences:
Fine is stepping down from his associate dean position but retains tenure and will continue directing faculty practices.

“That’s the best Columbia could come up with. What kind of message does that send?...I might get demoted, but I’m not going to lose my gig.” (06:32)
Standard Operating Procedure:
Capucci expresses skepticism about Columbia’s approach, suggesting the institution aims to minimize embarrassment rather than enact meaningful reform.

“These colleges will do whatever they can to save themselves from embarrassment. How many times have we seen it? … things get covered up that certainly should not have been covered up.” (13:14)

Shuliak’s Admission and Qualification

Internal Investigation Result:
Columbia’s official review found Shuliak met qualifications for the 2023 postgraduate program, but raised concerns about Fine’s involvement, given his powerful administrative role.

“An internal investigation found Shuliak did meet the qualification…but that separate concerns were raised about Fine’s involvement.” (15:15)
Host’s Nuanced Take:
Capucci clarifies he has “no bone to pick” with Shuliak if she’s qualified, but sees Epstein’s influence as the real issue.

“If Shuliak was qualified—no big deal. I don’t hate her. But the fact that Jeffrey Epstein was able to move the gears once again is just another tell…” (12:46)

Faculty Critique and Community Reaction

Faculty and Student Discontent:
Two College of Dental Medicine affiliates interviewed by the Columbia Spectator express frustration that both Fine and Dr. Letty Moss-Salentyn (another implicated administrator) remain in senior faculty positions and continue interacting with students.

“He should be gone. 100% gone. Not demoted, not leaving, you know, some senior position. He should be gone.” (16:40)
Superficial Change:
The perceived lack of genuine accountability is addressed as more of a PR move than systemic change.

“What they want to do is just enough to shut you up, not really fix anything, not change anything…” (18:19)

The Broader Pattern: Control and Denial

Universities & Crisis Management:
Capucci likens Columbia’s approach to typical “control the blast radius” tactics: defer, deflect, then minimally concede.

“It’s not just the government that’s trying to control blast radius. It’s everybody...they all try to do the same exact thing.” (20:04)
Cycle of Denial and Admission:
Capucci predicts Columbia will eventually be forced to own up, as other institutions have, following a predictable pattern.

“When this narrative fails, they’ll just admit that they were in the wrong just like Harvard did and just like multiple other institutions have done throughout the past.” (29:50)

Notable Quotes

“In the land of the lawless, there is no law, right? So everybody should just do whatever they want to do, no repercussions. Nobody ever gets in trouble for anything. So why not?” (07:39)
“Imagine going to get your chompers cleaned from Jeffrey Epstein’s ex girlfriend...what’s next, a prostate exam from Nurse Ratchet?” (11:08)
“Buddy, we saw the emails. We know how close you were, and we know that you were giving them favorable treatment at the university. Just admit it, you’ve been caught.” (12:12)
“What they want to do is just enough to shut you up, not really fix anything, not change anything, not hold anybody accountable, but shut you up. And unfortunately, that’s always been the goal.” (18:19)

Important Segment Timestamps

Columbia’s Announcement & Fine’s Background: 00:00–05:05
Fine’s Pattern of Favoritism & Epstein’s Network: 05:06–11:30
Shuliak’s Admission Process & Ethics: 11:31–15:45
Reaction from Faculty and Affiliates: 15:46–19:20
Wider Issues of Institutional Accountability: 19:21–24:10
Host’s Final Predictions & Conclusion: 24:11–End

Episode Tone & Host Perspective

Capucci’s style blends blunt critique with biting humor and skepticism. He’s direct in holding both Columbia and individuals accountable, and approaches the subject as part of a larger tapestry of elite entitlement and abuse.

Conclusion

Bobby Capucci’s episode underscores Columbia University's ongoing entanglement with Epstein’s legacy, emphasizing how superficial reforms fail to address systemic problems. The episode highlights not only the details of Shuliak and Fine’s roles, but also the broader culture that enables such infractions—and the persistent public frustration with elite institutions’ lack of genuine accountability.

For continuing coverage and detailed documents, listeners are directed to consult the episode’s description box.

Loading summary

Transcript1 lines

[00:00]
A
What's up, everyone? And welcome to another episode of the Epstein Chronicles. A couple of weeks ago we were talking about Columbia University and the games they played to help Jeffrey Epstein's girlfriend, Krinia Shuliak get into the university. Well, now the person responsible for that or one of the people responsible for that has lost their job. And that person is Dr. James Fine, who's a senior associate Dean Floyd for a postdoctoral academic and student affairs. And he's going to be stepping down for the role that he played in making all of that happen. And look, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that only Jeffrey Epstein was able to do things like this. This is something that rich people do all the time. They reach out to people that are at universities or corporations, whatever, and they find a way for their family members or their loved ones to get into the university of their choice, even if their qualifications might be a little bit lacking. So it's not just Jeffrey Epstein that does this or did this. It's certainly something that all these kinds of people do. I mean, look at that college scandal we saw from a few years ago. I forget the lady's name, but some famous lady, several famous people, they were sending their kids to college. I forget what schools under false pretenses and they ended up going to prison for it. So it's not like it's not a big deal. It is. So it's nice to see Columbia here make a move and get rid of this dude. Alright, so let's see what this article has to say. This article was published by the Columbia Spectator and the headline College of Dental Medicine Administrator who twice aided Epstein's Girlfriend's admission is said to exit their post. This article was authored by Ye, Shoshi Das and Fiona, who nearly four months after the university said it had disciplined those involved in the irregular admission of Jeffrey Epstein's girlfriend to the College of Dental Medicine. Columbia announced Wednesday that another key administrator implicated Dr. James Fine, senior Associate dean for a postdoctoral academic and student affairs. We'll step down from his role. Look, all hope is not lost for Dr. Fine. There's always clown college. The announcement comes a month after Spectator found that Fine had written Karina Schuliac, Dental 15 and 25, a letter of recommendation in 2023 for a postdoctoral program that he oversaw and that he helped her cheat on her transfer exam more than a decade earlier, in 2012, when the convicted sex offender first sought to get her into the College of Dental Medicine. Probably a good idea to have Corinia Schuliac come in and speak to Congress. I mean, we're talking to Ted Waite and not Corinia Schuliac, the last person to speak to Epstein on the phone. I would think that they'd want to speak with Krenia Schuliak, especially considering that the phone call that Epstein made to her that was supposed to be recorded wasn't. Fine, however, will not fully exit the university. The tenured professor will retain his position as a faculty member and the director of the faculty practices at the College of Dental Medicine. The university announced. I mean, that's the best Columbia could come up with. What kind of message does that send to the other people, other students, other people that might want to do same shit Mr. Fine did? Well, I might get demoted, but I'm not going to lose my gig. It's not going to be complete embarrassment. So I might as well hang out with the next Epstein and hook him up. I mean, in the land of the lawless, there is no law, right? So everybody should just do whatever they want to do, no repercussions. Nobody ever gets in trouble for anything. So why not? Find's involvement in Chuliak's admission to Colombia began when his close friend, Dr. Thomas Magnani, Dental 80, contacted him after Schuliak was initially rejected from the school in 2011. Magnani, the dentist who first brought Epstein into the school's orbit, wrote to Epstein in 2012 that he just spoke with Jim Fine and he'll know tomorrow what they will test her on and that a transfer test was necessary to keep this on the up and up. Less than three months after his initial rejection, Schuliac was accepted as as a transfer student. She graduated in 2015. Imagine going to get your chompers cleaned from Jeffrey Epstein's ex girlfriend. I mean, what's next, a prostate exam from Nurse Ratchet? After graduating, Fine arranged an internship for Schuliac in 2023 at Magnani's Columbia affiliated private practice, where Fine also worked. Fine and Magnani both provided dental care to abstinence and his associates and maintain long standing personal ties with the sex offender, according to the Justice Department records. But they didn't really know him. Look, just a couple of emails. We knew the guy in passing. We hardly had anything to do with him. Don't believe what you see in those emails. It's all just a hoax. That's the kind of these people are still trying to pull. Buddy, we saw the emails. We know how close you were, and we know that you were giving them favorable treatment at the university. Just admit it you've been caught and remember all those people that were yelling and screaming about people's reputations are going to be destroyed. These are the kind of people they were trying to defend. So what does that tell you, not only about these people themselves, but about the people trying to defend them. Feynman Magnani also wrote Juliac letters of their highest recommendation for her admission into the years long postdoctoral program, which prepares dentists to work in independent general dentistry practice. Schuliac applied in 2023, four years after Epstein killed himself, allegedly in federal prison while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges. I can state as an educator and prior program director, I myself would have taken her into my program with no reservations or or hesitation, fine wrote in his letter of recommendation obtained by Spectator. I truly believe if you admit Dr. Schuliac into your program, it'll be a wonderful benefit to both her and your institution. Schuliac graduated from the program in 2025. And listen, if Schuliac was qualified, no big deal. I don't have a bone to pick with Chuliak. I don't hate her. But the fact that Jeffrey Epstein was able to move the gears once again is just another tell and it gives you a little bit of a glimpse into the kind of power that this dude wielded. The university wrote in its Wednesday statement that an internal investigation found Schuliac did meet the qualification for admission to the 2023 postgraduate program, but that separate concerns were raised about Fine's involvement and in her application given his role as a senior administrator. The university declined to provide additional comment beyond that statement. And look, these institutions, they're an iron wall and these colleges will do whatever they can to save themselves from embarrassment. How many times have we seen it? How many times have we seen things get covered up that certainly should not have been covered up? So it's not like Colombia is alone here. This is part and parcel on all these campuses. Spectator spoke to two College of Dental Medicine affiliates who felt that because Fine remains director of the faculty practice, the university's response has fallen short of what they believe the situation warrants. I agree with that. He should be gone. 100% gone. Not demoted, not leaving, you know, some senior position. He should be gone. Why anyone at the university would want to be associated with him, I don't know. Both expressed discontent that Dr. Letty Moss, Salentin Shuliac's mentor who was a vice dean when Magnani credited her with doing the most to help Shuliak get in and finish up dental school, also remains in her faculty position. Just like usual, what they want to do is just enough to shut you up, not really fix anything, not change anything, not hold anybody accountable, but shut you up. And unfortunately, that's always been the goal. One College of Dental Medicine affiliate told Spectator on Friday that because both Fine and Moss Salentin remain senior faculty members, they interact with students and junior faculty on a daily basis. The second affiliate told Spectator on Saturday that the leadership changes at the school have been insufficient, adding that fined June 30 departure date the end of the medical center's academic year look more like a scheduled administrative transition than a response to the findings against them all by design. Look, it's not just the government that's trying to control blast radius. It's everybody. Everybody that's been caught up in this, and it's crazy that they all try to do the same exact thing. It's always the same exact response. Oh, we're having an internal investigation. And then inevitably they get to a point where they're like, okay, we can't deny this anymore. This happened, and we have to just admit it. And I guess Columbia University just hasn't gotten to that point yet. But it's coming. Dr. George Jenkins will serve as the new senior associate dean for Student affairs and Dr. Philip Kang will serve as interim associate dean for postdoctoral affairs, effective June 30, the university announced. Jenkins, the current assistant dean for the Office of Access, Equity and Inclusion, has been at Columbia since 2006, and Kang, formerly the program director of parodontics, has been there since 2007. Kang declined a request for comment from Spectator, and Jenkins did not respond to a request for comment from Spectator. And they're not going to. They'll let the university respond, and I'm sure their university has told them, keep your mouth shut, we got this, we'll take care of it. Just do your job. Fines Demotion comes months after the university announced in February that it would remove Maknani from his admissions and volunteer leadership role, disaffiliate from his private practice and terminate his voluntary faculty appointment agreement, and that Moss Salentin would step down from her administrative roles. The February statement also acknowledged several affiliates involved in Chak's admission who had already left the College of Dental Medicine. Fine did not respond to Spectator's request for comment. At an April 10 University Senate plenary. In response to questioning on Fine's involvement with Epstein, acting university President Claire Shipman, CC, Class of 86, SIPA, Class of 96, said, I don't know the answer to that but. But I'll find out, she added. We're investigating everything that comes up. The university announced its conclusion to that investigation in its Wednesday statement. An internal investigation into the matter did not reveal an improper admission, the university wrote. Of course it didn't. Nothing happened here. Nothing was improper. Epstein followed the chain of command, but it sure looks like the evidence points somewhere else. So my guess is that Columbia is going to try this narrative, and when this narrative fails, they'll just admit that they were in the wrong, just like Harvard did and just like multiple other institutions have done throughout the past. So, like usual, we'll keep an eye on it, and when we got some more to add, we'll get it added to the catalog. All the information that goes with this episode can be found in the description box.