A model who was raped by Jeffrey Epstein broke down in tears as she described how the mishandling of Justice Department files exposed her identity to the world. The aspiring model, identified only as Roza, testified before Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee in Palm Beach on Tuesday as part of the congressional investigation into the handling of the Epstein case.
How Roza Was Introduced to Epstein
Roza recounted that she was introduced to Epstein by his longtime associate, Jean-Luc Brunel, the founder of MC2 Model Management, which had financial backing from the New York financier. She was just 18 when Brunel brought her from Uzbekistan to the United States in 2008, and then took her to Epstein's Palm Beach mansion in 2009. At that time, Epstein was under house arrest following his conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Epstein's Manipulation and Abuse
'Epstein used the names of powerful politicians to demonstrate his influence,' Roza told the hearing. 'He told me he was an investor in the very agency that promised me a career. He also spoke of his arrest like it was a game, bragging about girls visiting his cell and his friendships with authorities.'
After Roza's modeling agency informed her that she owed them $10,000, Epstein offered her a job at his science foundation to earn money. 'One day, his masseuse called me into his room where I was molested for the first time by Jeffrey,' Roza said. 'For the following three years, I was subjected to ongoing rape.'
Breaking down in tears, she testified: 'Jeffrey Epstein was under house arrest for the molestation of underage girls at the exact time he was abusing me.' Roza said that her agency relocated her to Miami for the duration of his house arrest so that she could remain near Palm Beach. Only after his sentence was served did she return to New York.
Botched File Release Exposed Her Name
Years later, Roza reported the abuse and kept her identity protected as a Jane Doe. However, a botched release of the Epstein files made her name public. 'I woke up one day with my name mentioned over 500 times, while the rich and powerful remain protected by redactions. My name was exposed to the world,' Roza told the hearing. 'I can only imagine the long-term impact this will have on my life.'
