In a new revelation, a woman identified only as an "unknown" victim of convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein came forward to the Justice Department with claims about Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent and close associate of Epstein.
In emails released in late January 2026, the woman details allegations about Brunel that paint him as an even more dangerous figure than Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s infamous confidante.
Jean-Luc Brunel: An Epstein Associate
The woman, whose name has been redacted in the documents, first reached out to the Justice Department in November 2021, per the New York Post.
She made serious allegations, claiming that Brunel was “100x worse” than Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 for her role in Epstein’s sex trafficking operation
For nearly four decades, Brunel allegedly trafficked women internationally, according to the woman’s email.
“He is 100x worse than Maxwell. Maxwell is bad and guilty but she is nothing compared to him,” the woman wrote. “If you are interested in more information or stories about them/Maxwell please let me know. I was a victim of them and MANY others they all knew.”
The Mysterious Death of Jean-Luc Brunel
Jean-Luc Brunel was arrested in France in late 2020 on charges of raping underage girls.
However, in February 2022, he was found dead in his prison cell. Authorities ruled that he had hanged himself, but his death has raised many questions, particularly in light of the allegations being brought forward.
While it remains unclear whether the Justice Department ever reached out to the woman after her initial contact, her allegations provide a haunting glimpse into the world of Epstein’s network.
The Justice Department’s Response
The email release is part of a much larger set of documents made public under a transparency law, providing further insight into Epstein’s connections with influential figures.
Despite the disturbing content, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche made it clear that these new documents would not provide the smoking gun many may have been hoping for.
In a press conference, Blanche addressed the public’s expectations, saying: “Is the public going to learn about men that abused these girls? Like, what does that mean? … I don’t know whether there are men out there that abused these women. I don’t think that the public or you all are going to uncover men within the Epstein files that abused women. Unfortunately.”
While the documents do provide new information about Epstein’s relationships with public figures such as former Trump campaign advisor Steve Bannon and Microsoft founder Bill Gates, they do not seem to reveal the identities of any new perpetrators who were involved in Epstein’s criminal activities.
New Revelations About Epstein’s Elite Connections
Among the newly released documents, there are further details about Epstein’s connections to powerful figures. Former Trump campaign adviser Steve Bannon is mentioned, as well as Microsoft founder Bill Gates, who is allegedly described as contracting an STD in connection with Epstein.
Additionally, earlier documents have explored Epstein’s interactions with former President Bill Clinton, writer Michael Wolff, and even President Donald Trump.
Epstein’s ties to these figures have fueled ongoing speculation about his network’s reach, with some even suggesting that it was part of a sophisticated blackmail operation.
This theory was previously supported by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a former neighbor of Epstein, who described Epstein's social circle as an elaborate scheme to manipulate the world's business and political elite.
Ghislaine Maxwell’s Claims of Protection for Epstein’s Associates
The latest document release also touches upon the claims made by Ghislaine Maxwell, who has alleged that 29 individuals tied to Epstein are being secretly protected by the Justice Department through “secret settlements.”
These unsubstantiated claims, however, have not been confirmed by the Department of Justice.
Blanche addressed these allegations directly during the press conference, stating that he was “not aware” of any evidence to support Maxwell’s assertions.
He further confirmed that he had spent two days interviewing Maxwell in prison about the scandal, though only Epstein and Maxwell have faced criminal charges related to the abuse of over a thousand victims.