Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking network extended far beyond Florida and New York. A substantial portion of his victims were foreign nationals recruited through modeling connections, economic inducements, and the promise of legitimate career opportunities in the United States and Europe.
Jean-Luc Brunel, Epstein’s French modeling agent associate, played a central role in sourcing foreign victims. Brunel operated modeling agencies that recruited young women from Eastern Europe, South America, and other economically vulnerable regions. The agencies provided cover for what investigators ultimately concluded was a trafficking pipeline.
Prosecutors in the Maxwell trial established that recruitment patterns deliberately targeted economically vulnerable girls in Europe, particularly from France and Eastern European countries. Brunel’s access to young women seeking modeling careers in Paris and elsewhere provided a steady supply.
Foreign victims faced additional barriers to reporting: language difficulties, immigration concerns, unfamiliarity with U.S. legal systems, and fear of deportation. These barriers were structural advantages for Epstein’s operation and significantly impeded investigation and prosecution.
The coordination between New York, Palm Beach, the Virgin Islands, and Paris as operational hubs meant the network operated across multiple national jurisdictions simultaneously — complicating any single country’s ability to investigate the full scope.