Files from the Department of Justice reveal that Jeffrey Epstein, despite having no official role in the industry, operated as a central figure in the fashion industry and ensnared young women through his connections. A CNN investigation reveals that Epstein provided money, professional opportunities, and assistance with US visas to scouts and agency insiders in exchange for access to young models, many of whom were teenagers. Even after his 2008 conviction for sex crimes, industry professionals reportedly treated him as a legitimate executive who could make or break careers. Some scouts went as far as to send him photos of potential targets, with one recruiter describing a prospect as a “cute French girl” who would be “happy to meet you.” Another recruiter sent a message stating, “She’s a gift that I had been planning on giving you.” These revelations have sparked a push for accountability. As Vogue notes, survivors and activists are demanding that the industry confront its role in these events. Over 40 Epstein survivors and models, including Model Alliance founder Sara Ziff, have signed letters to government officials urging them to investigate the systems that enabled his behavior. “Jeffrey Epstein was not a rogue outlier, but a beneficiary of–and a participant in–this system,” the letter states. CNN notes that Epstein had connections with every level in the industry The Model Alliance letter emphasizes that these facts “raise serious questions about if and how the modeling industry functioned as a recruitment and referral pipeline–sending aspiring teenage models to Jeffrey Epstein and other men with power, wealth, and well-documented histories of abuse.” The industry’s failure to protect vulnerable women is a recurring theme in the testimonies of survivors. Juliette Bryant, who was lured from South Africa with the promise of a career, told CNN that Epstein “said he’d make my dream come true, but he turned it into a f–king nightmare.” She noted that he never helped her book a single modeling job, confirming that his interest was never professional. View this post on Instagram Similarly, Svetlana Pozhidaeva, a Russian-born model, found herself trapped in a cycle of abuse while signed to MC2 Model Management. Per CNN, she explained that the agency knew she was working for Epstein rather than modeling, yet they continued to sponsor her visa, stating, “I knew that I could not go anywhere else in terms of my employment. They knew that I was working for him and they kept renewing my visa.” While some industry figures have denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes, CNN pointed out that the records suggest a different reality. Documents show that recruiters like Daniel Siad allegedly received tens of thousands of dollars from Epstein while sending him photos of young women from across Europe and North Africa. Though Siad has not been charged, he was reportedly identified by the late Jean-Luc Brunel as a recruiter for Epstein. Siad later told CNN that he viewed Epstein as a “professional person” at the time, though he now claims he was deceived by a “chameleon.” View this post on Instagram The files also reportedly show emails from a recruiter, Victoria Housez, who claimed to scout for multiple agencies, including Next. It should be noted that Next has stated Housez never worked with them. In a 2013 email, Houses wrote, “I can prepare the list of the girls.” Allegedly, she repeatedly sent Epstein information on models in their late teens or early 20s. CNN noted she would offer to bring them to him or comment on their personalities. Housez was never accused of wrongdoing. The reach of Epstein’s connections was vast. The files have indicated that part of his network was created through the children of the connections he wanted. Eventually, he used a network of elite doctors to control his victims. Within the fashion world, CNN reports that Faith Kates, a cofounder of Next Management, maintained a close relationship with Epstein long after his initial conviction. Emails show she helped him with visa checks, provided fashion show tickets, and even acted on his request to keep an eye out “for my new assistant.” View this post on Instagram Her spokesperson claims she was misled by a “master manipulator.” However, CNN states that the ease with which these industry leaders catered to a known sex offender highlights the lack of oversight. The systemic nature of this issue is exactly what advocates are fighting to dismantle. Sara Ziff told Vogue, “The Epstein files expose a darker truth about the modeling industry: What looks like glamour on the outside was, for many of us, a system that routinely put teenagers into dangerous and exploitative situations,” Ziff said. She added that “accountability must extend beyond individual perpetrators to the systems that enabled them.”