More than six years have passed since disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in his prison cell while awaiting trial. However, questions about his work and network still arise today.
According to a BBC report, new testimonies have now emerged with several women claiming they were allegedly approached for “modelling work” but later realized they were often associated with Epstein’s circle.
The women said they were approached by agencies and French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, whose ties to Epstein were widely known. They were promised opportunities abroad along with exposure to influential figures, which was the easiest way for many aspiring models to break into the international fashion industry.
According to reports from one of the girls, who was 16 in 2004 and living in the Brazilian countryside, she was approached by Brunel, who convinced her mother to let her go to a modeling competition in Ecuador. The report said the investigation revealed that Brunel used modeling agencies connected to him at the time to find young women and girls from South America for Epstein. Brunel also arranged visas for them to travel to the United States.
Another Brazilian woman said she had a relationship with a deceased and convicted sex offender and entered the US after one of Brunel’s agencies was listed as her sponsor. The woman added that she had never done any modeling work and travel documents had been arranged for her to visit Epstein.
The testimonies of these Brazilian women add to a growing body of allegations that suggest modeling opportunities were sometimes used as a way to introduce young women to Epstein and his associates.
Brazilian police are investigating a recruitment ring
In February of this year, the Brazilian Federal Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) launched an investigation into whether a recruitment network linked to Epstein was operating in the country.
According to labor inspector and researcher Mauricio Krepský, what happened to these women could potentially qualify as human trafficking for sexual exploitation. He noted that such crimes may not be subject to a statute of limitations, meaning Brazilians involved could still face legal consequences.
Epstein files
In early January, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) released more than three million pages of documents, 180,000 images and at least 2,000 videos related to the Epstein files, calling it the latest tranche of documents. After the release, the names of several prominent personalities including Microsoft founder Bill Gates, US President Donald Trump, former US President Bill Clinton and many others from around the world have surfaced.
Although the mere mention of a person’s name did not indicate any criminal wrongdoing, the release of the files opened up Epstein’s world to people who have been trying to make sense of this tranche of data ever since. As investigations continue and files are reviewed in the US, the disgraced financier’s network remains under intense scrutiny.
