French model agent Jean-Luc Brunel, a relative of American billionaire Jeffrey Epstein accused of rape by several former top models, was arrested Wednesday at Paris-Roissy airport and taken into police custody, learned Thursday. ‘AFP corroborating sources.
The septuagenarian, founder of the agencies Karin Models and MC2 Model Management, was placed in police custody for rape and sexual assault, in particular against minors, sexual harassment, criminal conspiracy and trafficking in human beings, confirmed the Paris prosecutor’s office interviewed by AFP.
According to a source familiar with the matter, he was arrested at Roissy airport as he was about to take a plane to Dakar.
He said he was “at the disposal of justice,” said his lawyer, Me Corinne Dreyfus-Schmidt in October 2019.
Jean-Luc Brunel has been accused of rape by several former top models. He is also suspected of having spotted young women for the American financier Jeffrey Epstein, found dead in prison in early August 2019. He disputes the facts.
This investigation opened on August 23, 2019 and entrusted to the Central Office for the Repression of Violence against the Person has given rise to a call for witnesses and several hundred hearings, but many accusations relate to prescribed facts, according to sources. concordant.
“The victims have long awaited the arrest of Jean-Luc Brunel. They welcome this custody with relief, and confidence in the legal consequences that will be given. Their word finally takes on a meaning ”, reacted the lawyer Anne-Claire Lejeune, who defends several victims.
“This is huge news. I cry with joy, ”reacted for her part the Dutch Thysia Huisman, a former model who claimed to have been“ drugged and raped ”by Mr. Brunel at the age of 18.
“Eleven women testified against him after me, but all these facts are prescribed. I hope the police have other files with more recent victims, ”she added in a statement to AFP.
A complaint was filed in October against Mr. Brunel for acts of “sexual harassment” which were not prescribed.
In a first investigation against Mr. Epstein in the United States, closed in 2007, two women had already accused Jean-Luc Brunel of playing the role of tout for the American financier, bringing young girls from modest backgrounds to the United States. dangling a modeling career.
Jeffrey Epstein was found dead on August 10 in his cell in New York City. He was arrested and charged in July for having organized, between 2002 and 2005, a network of young girls with whom he allegedly had coerced sex.