Photographed on the ‘Lolita Express’, paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet, this is disgraced French former model boss Jean-Luc Brunel, sharing a joke with the financier and his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell.
Ghislaine Maxwell partially undunbuttons her blouse before Epstein and Brunel. Brunel is dressed in yellow jumper with flamboyant Paisley running bottoms and pretends shock when he turns around.
Brunel’s 75th birthday photo has now been made public in New York, where Maxwell (59) is being tried for transporting minors with Epstein. The late billionaire financier and investor was also on trial.
Lara Pomerantz, for the prosecution in Maxwell’s trial in New York, said that photographs including the one of Brunel on the plane, were found on a hard drive during a raid at Epstein’s house in New York in 2019.
Ms Pomerantz said they pointed towards a ‘close relationship over time’, and suggested that Maxwell and Epstein were ‘partners in crime’.
Jean-Luc Brunel, a French model scout, is seen with Epstein and Maxwell aboard the Lolita Express. Brunel was immediately under suspicion for having close ties with Epstein. He was charged by French prosecutors in 2020 with rape.
Jean-Luc Brunel play-wrestles with Ghislaine Maxwell at Jeffrey Epstein’s home on the private island of Little Saint James, in the US Virgin Islands
Judicial police in Paris today indicated that the photograph – part of a bundle of prosecution evidence in the USA – will ‘assist with their case against Brunel’ too.
An investigating source in the French capital said: ‘It points to an intimate working relationship between suspects who were said to be running a sex ring together.’
Brunel (a twice-divorced Brunel) was apprehended at Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris, a year back as he attempted to board a flight from Paris to Dakar, Senegal.
After being accused of rape and sexual assault as well as criminal conspiracy and trafficking in minors, he was placed on remand.
Brunel, like Maxwell denies wrongdoing. He has also pledged to clean his name.
But according to claims from numerous alleged victims, Brunel, 75, performed the same role for Epstein which Maxwell has been accused of in New York – scouting and supplying under-age sex victims for the billionaire.
Numerous women have made allegations against him, including Prince Andrew’s accuser, Virginia Guiffre.
These striking photographs were presented as evidence during Maxwell’s sex trading trial. They show Epstein having her feet massaged by the British socialite on the Lolita express.
Ghislaine Maxwell photographed Epstein massaging his feet from his private plane. He is said to have flown high-powered women and underage girls in the aircraft.
Ms Guiffre, now 38 – has told French police that Brunel committed multiple alleged attacks on her. In a US civil court, she is also sueing Prince Andrew (61), for sexual assault. The damages claim is being vigorously challenged by Andrew.
It follows alleges from numerous women that Brunel abused them while running an ‘underage sex ring’ for Epstein, who committed suicide in a New York prison in 2019.
A year ago, the Paris fashion agency was arrested on charges of rape as well as sexual assault of minors.
Like Prince Andrew, Brunel has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, with his lawyers saying he was being subjected ‘to a media lynching.’
Last November, Ms Giuffre replied to an English-language appeal made by French magistrates to Brunel victims to come forward.
She said she was raped by Brunel in the early 2000s – around the time that she is said to have had sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17.
The ‘multiple rapes’ of Virginia Giuffre – now a mother of three formerly called Virginia Roberts– were said to have mainly taken place at Epstein’s home on the private island of Little Saint James, in the US Virgin Islands.
French law permits Brunel to face trial in France for any alleged offenses committed outside France.
Brunel last saw the public at Paris Country Club 5 July 2019. The following are his most recent public appearances.
Epstein’s death in August 2019, the French National Police launched an investigation into him and prosecutors first heard allegations that Brunel and Prince Andrew had both assaulted Ms Guiffre.
In September 2019, Brunel’s Paris home and offices were raided as part of an investigation into sex trafficking by Epstein.
Brunel, who was on his way to Senegal in West Africa, was stopped at Charles de Gaulle Airport last December.
Ms Guiffre, now 38 – has told French police that Brunel committed multiple alleged attacks on her. Ms Guiffre is also filing a lawsuit against Prince Andrew (pictured in 2001 together) for sexual abuse.
The ‘multiple rapes’ of Virginia Giuffre – now a mother of three formerly called Virginia Roberts– were said to have mainly taken place at Epstein’s home on the private island of Little Saint James, (pictured) in the US Virgin Islands
The charges against him included sexual assault, rape, criminal conspiracy, and human trafficking. All allegations involved minors.
After being held for several months, he was finally released from custody and indicted by the court on September 2021. He is charged with one count of rape.
Brunel is accused of raping a 17 year-old model in a nightclub. Brunel disputed his innocence.
For legal reasons, the most recent complainant was not named. However she is in her 40s now and living in the USA.
The examining magistrates heard her tell that Brunel raped them at her Paris house after she had been out to a club.
Virginia Giuffre claimed she was forced into sleeping with the Duke after she was trafficked at least three more times to him when she was 17 years old.
Prince Andrew has consistently denied the accusations levelled by Giuffre, telling the BBC in 2019: ‘I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady. None whatsoever.’
Prince Andrew has consistently denied the accusations levelled by Giuffre, telling the BBC in 2019 (pictured): ‘I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady. No.
Giuffre told Brunel that she raped her regularly between 16 and 19 years old.
Brunel is suspected to have used his connections in the fashion world to help Epstein and his associates. He has previously worked with stars like Sharon Stone, Jerry Hall and Monica Bellucci.
Court documents unsealed in 2019 alleged Brunel flew 12-year-old sisters from a Paris housing estate to America as ‘a birthday present’ for Epstein.
Brunel’s lawyers, Marianne Abgrall and Mathias Chichportich, previously issued a statement saying: ‘Our client has always firmly asserted that he has never abused any woman.
‘This accusation, which arises almost twenty years later and without the slightest proof, is a new illustration of the media-judicial lynching suffered by Jean-Luc Brunel since the suicide of Jeffrey Epstein.’