For the first time, a former assistant to Jeffrey Epstein has spoken about how the American financier, accused of sex trafficking and abuse, manipulated the women who worked closely with him and controlled their lives.
The woman, identified to the BBC by the pseudonym Anya, said she was drawn in by promises of a career in modelling. According to her, she ended up under Epstein’s complete control for years, facing sexual abuse, psychological pressure, threats and isolation.
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Anya says she met Epstein in Paris after being introduced to him by a modelling scout. According to her testimony, he offered her contacts in the fashion world and job opportunities, but she later realised that this had been a way of bringing her into his circle.
According to her, Epstein created strong financial and emotional dependence among his victims. He dictated their daily routines, decided whom they could associate with, listened to or monitored their phone calls, and created the impression that leaving him was impossible.
She claims that the first sexual abuse occurred during a stay in Palm Beach, while Epstein was serving a sentence in connection with an earlier case. Her testimony says the abuse continued for years afterwards.
According to Anya, the control also extended to the women’s physical appearance. In her case, she says Epstein forced her to undergo surgery to remove a tattoo, leaving permanent marks on her body.
Anya also claims that Epstein obtained compromising material on the women close to him. According to her, he photographed and filmed them, while forcing them to write thank-you letters that could later be used against them.
In her account, she says every assistant was forced to bring other women into Epstein’s circle, creating what she describes as an “ecosystem of abuse”.
Anya’s testimony also aligns with earlier statements by Sarah Kellen, another former assistant to Epstein. Kellen told the US Congress that he stripped victims of their autonomy and made them completely dependent on him.
Jeffrey Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minors. Since his death, dozens of victims have made further testimonies public, while the survivor compensation fund has distributed compensation to many of them.
