New allegations have shed light on the Brazilian connections within the network surrounding convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Women who spoke to the BBC claim that former modeling agency executive Jean-Luc Brunel attempted to recruit underage girls and direct them into Epstein’s circle.
A Brazilian woman identified as “Ana”, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons, said Brunel and his modeling agency played a key role in facilitating contact between young girls and Epstein.
According to Ana, she left her hometown in southern Brazil after a woman in São Paulo promised her opportunities in the modeling industry. She said she and two other women were later sent to a luxury hotel, where Epstein allegedly “selected” her.
Ana said Epstein later invited her to a party in the city, where she met Brunel for the first time. During the event, she learned that Epstein was traveling to Paris the following day and that arrangements had been made for her to accompany him.
Documents from the U.S. Department of Justice, including emails and flight records, indicate that Epstein was indeed in Brazil at that time.
Visa Arranged to Visit Epstein
Ana also claimed that Brunel helped Brazilian women obtain U.S. visas. Documents reviewed by the BBC and cross-checked with U.S. Justice Department records appear to support parts of her account.
Her passport reportedly contained a U.S. work visa linked to “Karin Models of America,” a modeling agency established by Brunel. Ana said she never actually worked for the agency but was told the visa documents would make it easier for her to travel to the United States.
According to her testimony, the real purpose of the visa was simply to allow her to visit Epstein.
Court records and U.S. Justice Department files suggest that Brunel used his agencies — first Karin Models of America and later MC2 in America — to bring girls from several countries, including minors, to the United States.
Records also include testimony from a former MC2 employee who claimed Epstein paid the fees for visas arranged through Brunel’s U.S. agency.
Restricted Contact With Families
Another woman who spoke to the BBC, Glaucia Fekete, said Brunel visited her family home in 2004 to persuade her to participate in a modeling competition in Ecuador. At the time, she said she was just 16 years old.
After convincing her mother, Brunel arranged for her to travel to Guayaquil to compete in the “Models New Generation” contest.
Fekete said the competition itself appeared normal, but she became suspicious when she was not allowed to contact her family during the trip.
Toward the end of the event, she said Brunel offered to take her to New York for fashion shows with all expenses paid, but her mother refused permission.
Another woman, identified only as “Laura,” said she was also 16 when she participated in the same modeling competition. She recalled finding Brunel’s behavior unusual and said girls from Brazil and Eastern Europe appeared to be primary targets.
U.S. government records show Epstein was in Guayaquil on August 24 and 25, 2004, at the same time as the competition’s final event.
BBC investigations also uncovered documents indicating that a minor who attended the event flew on Epstein’s private plane at least twice in the same year.
The Epstein Scandal
Jeffrey Epstein faced charges of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls and operating a trafficking network. He was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial.
Documents released in connection with the Epstein case mentioned a number of prominent figures, including Prince Andrew, Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Ehud Barak, Al Gore, Kevin Spacey, Bill Gates, David Copperfield, Alan Dershowitz, and Bill Richardson.
Following an investigation conducted with the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI stated it found no evidence of a hidden “client list” involving celebrities. Authorities also concluded that Epstein died by suicide in his prison cell, despite widespread speculation about the circumstances surrounding his death.
