The first two witnesses to be interviewed as part of France’s investigation into alleged sexual abuse by Jeffrey Epstein have told detectives they were assaulted by the disgraced financier’s French friend, Jean-Luc Brunel, reports The Telegraph.
The two women, both French, alleged that Mr Brunel, a model scout, procured young girls for Epstein. Both also accused Mr Brunel of sexually assaulting them, according to sources close to the French investigation launched last month. The sources did not name the women, who came forward after the case hit the headlines.
Mr Brunel, 72, is the current focus of the preliminary French investigation and detectives are trying to track him down, the sources said. Mr Brunel, who founded the Miami-based MC2 model agency with financial help from Epstein, dropped from sight after his friend’s death from apparent suicide in a US prison in August.
In 2015 he denied any involvement in Epstein’s alleged offences. French prosecutors have not named him and he has not been charged with any crimes.