--- Mark Fenster, quoted in New testimony in Epstein case could address persistent conspiracy theories, CSMonitor, May 2026
Excerpt
Such beliefs often endure because they pull at threads of truth, says Mark Fenster, a professor at the University of Florida who studies conspiracy theories. He says Mr. Epstein fits a common narrative about prominent people who abuse their influence. Reports about others involved with Mr. Epstein could fit that narrative as well, he says. “Conspiracy theories are a sort of storytelling device. It’s a way of making sense of things that seem random and seem difficult to tie together.”
