JAMES PATTERSON Jean-Luc Brunel: 2005 For Jeffrey Epstein, Leslie Wexner is more than a mentor. More than the last in a line of older men-father figureswhom Epstein cultivated while making his way in the world. Wexner is also a steady, if indirect, source of beautiful women. After all, Wexner is the man in charge of Victoria's Secret, part of the Limited family of companies and-better yet-in charge of the Victoria's Secret catalog. What this means for Epstein is models galore. In fact, like a fox that's gotten hold of the lease to a henhouse, Epstein, according to evidence collected in a later lawsuit brought by Epstein victims, eventually provided financial support for a modeling agency, and provided support for models employed by that agency, in New York City. This story begins with a Frenchman-a playboy modeling agent named Jean-Luc Brunel-who was an owner of the Karin modeling agency. Brunel had been working as a modeling agent since the seventies. He claimed to have launched the careers of Monica Bellucci, Estelle, Jerry Hall, Rachel Hunter, Mila Jovovich, Rebecca Romijn, Kristina Semenovskaya, Sharon Stone, and Estella Warren, as well as Christy Turlington and other well-known cover girls. Brunel had also been a subject of a 60 Minutes investigation, broadcast in 1988, into sexual exploitation in the modeling industry. That exposé had caused Eileen Ford of the elite Ford modeling agency to sever her ties with the playboy. (Brunel's activities were also chronicled in a 1995 book about the fashion 126 industry-Model: The U Gross.) But Brunel's reputat getting involved in his l According to a suit Edwards, a victims' law Epstein alleging fabrica Epstein had provided st its name, in 2005, from As a scout for MC2 undiscovered talent, fav the former Soviet reput eling competitions and eling agents and agenci But according to th the information he hac and Brunel had used th eign countries into the ing contracts. These g belonging to Epstein. visa for these girls," and erage girls rent, pre the condos. I strongly deny t indirectly, in the actio Brunel would say. "I si actor any wrongdoing model agencies manag cal standard for almost according to Brun BRSON FILTHY RICH industry-Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women, by Michael Gross.) But Brunel's reputation did not prevent Jeffrey Epstein from getting involved in his business. According to a summary judgment court filing by Bradley Edwards, a victims' lawyer defending against a lawsuit by Jeffrey Epstein alleging fabrication of sexual assault cases against him, Epstein had provided support for Brunel's agency, which changed its name, in 2005, from Karin to MC2-as in E = mc As a scout for MC2, Brunel traveled the world in search of undiscovered talent, favoring Scandinavia, Israel, central Europe, the former Soviet republics, and South America, setting up modeling competitions and negotiating with other international modeling agents and agencies. But according to the court filing, in which Edwards detailed the information he had gathered in support of victims, Epstein and Brunel had used the agency to bring underage girls from foreign countries into the United States by promising them modeling contracts. These girls were then housed in condominiums belonging to Epstein. "Epstein and Brunel would then obtain a visa for these girls," the document states, "then charge the underage girls rent, presumably to live as underage prostitutes in the condos." "I strongly deny having participated, neither directly nor indirectly, in the actions Mr. Jeffrey Epstein is being accused of," Brunel would say. "I strongly deny having committed any illicit act or any wrongdoing in the course of my work as a scouter or model agencies manager. I have exercised with the utmost ethical standard for almost forty years." According to Brunel, his association with Jeffrey Epstein 127 exuer is more than a mentor. folder men-father figureswhile making his way in the indirect, source of beautiful in charge of Victoria's Secret, mpanies and-better yet-in catalog. What this means for like a fox that's gotten hold of according to evidence collected pstein victims, eventually promodeling agency, and provided that agency, in New York City, chman-a playboy modeling who was an owner of the Karin a modeling agent since the sevched the careers of Monica Bel- Hunter, Milla Jovovich, Rebecca 1, Sharon Stone, and Estella Watton and other well-known cover ubject of a 60 Minutes investigacual exploitation in the modeling sed Eileen Ford of the elite Ford ties with the playboy. (Brunel's in a 1995 book about the fashion 126 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009276 JAMES PATTERSON ended up having a strong negative impact on his reputation and business. Several photographers refused to work with him. Other agencies, such as Modilinos Model Management, curtailed their relationships with Brunel. And in 2015, Brunel filed his own civil lawsuit against Jeffrey Epstein, denying that he had any role in Epstein's illegal activities, alleging that Epstein had obstructed justice by telling him to avoid having his deposition taken in the criminal case the Palm Beach PD had built against Epstein, and claiming that false allegations of Brunel's links to Epstein's activities had harmed his reputation and cost him a great deal of business. In his filing, Brunel included several e-mails from industry contacts who expressed their doubts about placing models with his agency. "Parents don't want their daughters coming to us because [when] they google your name and the agency name the only things they see is 'Sex Trafficking'!!!" one correspondent had written. Nadia Marcinkova: circ M C2 has offices in N motion-flying to Virgin Islands. O Paris. And when he comes where important peopleuniversity presidents, Nobe ex-presidents, and heads of st Some guests marvel in pi do they come from? Nadia Marcinkova com model. But Nadia's done very become another of Epstein's According to statements, also served as a willing acc on underage females. 128 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009277 ERSON impact on his reputation and used to work with him. Other Management, curtailed their 1, 2015, Brunel filed his own , denying that he had any role g that Epstein had obstructed ng his deposition taken in the had built against Epstein, and runel's links to Epstein's activand cost him a great deal of several e-mails from industry bts about placing models with their daughters coming to us name and the agency name the flicking!!!" one correspondent CHAPTER 32 Nadia Marcinkova: circa 2000 M C2 has offices in New York City. But Jeffrey's always in motion-flying to his homes in New Mexico and the Virgin Islands. Often to Palm Beach. Sometimes to Paris. And when he comes home to New York he hosts parties where important people-corporate titans, real estate tycoons, university presidents, Nobel Prize-winning scientists, princes, ex-presidents, and heads of state-mingle with beautiful women. Some guests marvel in public: Who are these women? Where do they come from? Nadia Marcinkova comes from Slovakia. She looks like a model. But Nadia's done very little modeling, if any. Instead she's become another of Epstein's girlfriends. According to statements given to the Palm Beach police, she's also served as a willing accomplice in Epstein's sexual assaults on underage females. 8 129 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009278 JAMES PATTERSON Epstein prefers diminutive women, but Nadia is tall. She's rail-thin and blond like the sun, with glowing skin, a wide smile, and sky-high cheekbones. On a good day, she could pass for a Bond girl-a woman caught up in a web of crime and intrigue. But of course, that's exactly what she is. In certain circles, the academics and the women in Epstein's orbit are almost a joke. In a 2003 profile of him, New York magazine quotes Harvard professors ("He is amazing"), Princeton professors ("If I had acted upon the investment advice he has given me over the years, I'd be calling you from my Gulfstream right now"), and other huminaries, up to and including Bill Clinton. "I've known Jeff for fifteen years," says Donald Trump. "Terrific guy; he's a lot of fun to be with." No one knew then that someday Trump would run for president. (When he does, he'll attack Hillary Clinton for Bill Clinton's own entanglements with Epstein.) But Trump's already ahead of the curve in that he ends up severing his ties to Epstein well before the police or the media get wind of Epstein's penchant for underage girls. He does this because he finds out that in their endless hunt for "massensens," Epstein's procurers have been prowling around Trump's estate in Palm Beach. Virginia Roberts: 1999 T rump's estate, Marulously wealthy he sits on twenty perfi miles away from Jeffrey E home to the exclusive Marcourts, and a very posh rest Donald Trump had fou they blocked all his efforts Other clubs on the islandblacks and Jews-had neve argued. At one point he seni ber of the town council: Gu Sidney Poitier confronts his leman's Agreement, in which in Connecticut and New Yor 130 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009279 TERSON omen, but Nadia is tall. She's with glowing skin, a wide smile, iss for a Bond girl-a woman l intrigue. But of course, that's es and the women in Epstein's profile of him, New York maga- : ("He is amazing"), Princeton ), MIT professors ("If I had acted has given me over the years, I'd am right now"), and other lumi- Clinton. n years," says Donald Trump. be with." eday Trump would run for presi- : Hillary Clinton for Bill Clinton's n.) But Trump's already ahead of severing his ties to Epstein well et wind of Epstein's penchant for ds out that in their endless hunt urers have been prowling around 130 CHAPTER 33 Virginia Roberts: 1999 T rump's estate, Mar-a-Lago, had once belonged to the fabulously wealthy heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. It sits on twenty perfectly manicured acres less than two miles away from Jeffrey Epstein's home on El Brillo Way. It's home to the exclusive Mar-a-Lago Club, which has a spa, tennis courts, and a very posh restaurant. Donald Trump had fought the town council for decades as they blocked all his efforts to turn the place into a private resort. Other clubs on the island-those with a history of excluding blacks and Jews-had never faced such restrictions, Trump had argued. At one point he sent copies of two movies to every member of the town council: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, in which Sidney Poitier confronts his girlfriend's racist parents, and Gentleman's Agreement, in which a journalist confronts anti-Semitism in Connecticut and New York City. 131 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_009280