On this Aug.13, 2019 report picture, a person walks his canine subsequent to an condominium development owned through Jeffrey Epstein in Paris. Modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel who was once with regards to U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein has been taken into custody in France, suspected of an array of crimes, together with the rape of minors and trafficking minors for sexual exploitation, Paris prosecutors mentioned Thursday.
Francois Mori | AP
A modeling agent who was once with regards to disgraced U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein was once discovered lifeless Saturday in his French prison mobile, the place he was once being held in an investigation into the rape of minors and trafficking of minors for sexual exploitation, in line with the Paris prosecutor’s place of work.
Sufferers of the alleged abuse described surprise and dismay that the agent, Jean-Luc Brunel, won’t ever face trial. They described his dying as a double blow, after Epstein killed himself in 2019 in a Ny prison whilst expecting sex-trafficking fees.
Paris police are investigating Brunel’s dying, the prosecutor’s place of work mentioned. The cases of his dying weren’t made public and Brunel’s legal professionals didn’t touch upon it.
Brunel denied wrongdoing and mentioned by the use of his legal professional that he was once keen to speak to investigators. Brunel’s felony crew had time and again complained concerning the prerequisites of his detention and sought to have him launched pending trial.
Brunel, who was once in his 70s, was once detained at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport in 2020 as a part of a large French probe unleashed through the U.S. sex-trafficking fees in opposition to Epstein.
A common significant other of Epstein, Brunel was once thought to be central to the French investigation into alleged sexual exploitation of girls and women through the U.S. financier and his circle. Epstein traveled ceaselessly to France and had residences in Paris.
A couple of ladies who recognized themselves as sufferers have spoken to police because the French probe was once opened in 2019, and every now and then expressed frustration with the sluggish tempo of the investigation.
One in all them, Thysia Huisman, mentioned the scoop of Brunel’s dying despatched her into “surprise.”
“It makes me indignant, as a result of I have been combating for years,” Huisman, a Dutch former style who instructed police she was once raped through Brunel as a young person, instructed The Related Press. “For me, the top of this was once to be in court docket. And now that entire finishing — which might assist shape closure — is taken clear of me.”
A legal professional representing Huisman and different sufferers, Anne-Claire Lejeune, mentioned different ladies concerned within the case really feel the similar.
“Nice sadness, nice frustration that (the sufferers) would possibly not get justice,” she instructed The AP.
She expressed doubt that the investigation would result in an ordeal as a result of Brunel was once so central to the case. She additionally voiced considerations that Brunel’s dying method his accusers would possibly not get legit popularity in their standing as sufferers.
“To rebuild your self (after abuse), that is among the crucial steps,” Huisman mentioned.
She expressed hope that Brunel’s dying would possibly not discourage ladies from proceeding to talk out about abuse. The investigation, together with a rising reckoning about sexual misconduct in France, has “freed up ladies to speak about it,” she mentioned. “It is a tough step that calls for a large number of braveness and power.”
One in all Epstein’s primary accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, has alleged that Brunel procured ladies, a few of them minors, for intercourse with Epstein and people, luring them with guarantees of modeling paintings.
Britain’s Prince Andrew not too long ago agreed to settle a case wherein Giuffre accused him of sexual abuse when she was once 17. Guiffre says she was once equipped to Andrew through Epstein, fees that Andrew denies. The agreement, wherein Andrew agreed to make a considerable donation to Giuffre’s charity, avoids an ordeal.
