Jean-Luc Brunel
Jean-Luc Didier Henri Brunel (18 September 1946 – 19 February 2022) was a French model scout. He gained prominence by leading the international modelling agency Karin Models, and founded MC2 Model Management, with financing by Jeffrey Epstein. The subject of a 60 Minutes investigation in 1988, Brunel faced allegations of sexual assault spanning three decades.
Jean-Luc Brunel | |
|---|---|
Brunel in 2001 | |
| Born | Jean-Luc Didier Henri Brunel 18 September 1946 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France |
| Died | 19 February 2022 (aged 75) La Santé Prison, Paris, France |
| Cause of death | Suicide by hanging |
| Nationality | French |
| Other names | "Le fantôme" (lit. 'The ghost') |
| Occupation | Model scout |
| Years active | 1970s–2019 |
| Known for | Former head of Karin Models and MC2 Model Management |
Brunel came under scrutiny for his ties to Epstein, with whom he worked from the early 2000s to 2015. Brunel was accused of grooming young females and of partaking in the alleged sex trafficking ring run by Epstein. In 2019, French National Police launched an investigation on Brunel after he went into hiding following Epstein's death. He was arrested on 16 December 2020, and charged with the rape of minors by French prosecutors. However, he died from an apparent suicide before his trial could proceed.