Jean-Luc Brunel a French fashion designer, was found dead in his cell as he waited for the start of his trial on charges that he raped minors.
French fashion and modeling agent, Jean-Luc Brunel, suspected of being part of the late US billionaire Jeffrey Epstein’s global underage sex ring, was found dead in his cell in the Paris La Santé prison in the early hours of Saturday morning. The Paris Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed his death to AFP and said that an investigation has been opened into the incident.
Brunel, who has been in pre-trial detention since late 2020, reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself in his cell, the French broadcaster BFM TV reported, citing its sources. Brunel’s body was discovered on Saturday by night patrol at around 1 am local time. “Early evidence points to suicide,”Daily Mail has been informed by an investigator source.
The disgraced fashion agent was arrested at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport in December 2020 when he sought to leave for Dakar, Senegal “on holiday.”He was arrested two days later and charged with “rape of a minor over 15 years old” “sexual harassment.”
Prince Andrew’s accuser, Virginia Giuffre, has blamed Brunel of abusing her as well, as she has said that she had had to engage in “sexual relations with Brunel on several occasions”Legal documents from France and the USA show that she was sixteen and nineteen years old at the time.
Brunel, like Prince Andrew, vehemently denied all allegations. The British royal and Giuffre eventually agreed to an out-of-court settlement that would see Prince Andrew paying the woman more than £12 million ($16.3 million), reportedly using money from the Queen.
If found guilty on the ‘rape of a minor’ charges, Brunel could have faced up to 15 years in a French prison. Brunel could have been sentenced to three more years in prison for aggravated sexual harassment and a $54,000 fine.
He is also alleged to have used his modelling business and connections in the fashion industry as a means to help Epstein. The Daily Mail reports that he reportedly flew three of his sisters from Paris to America to provide medical care. “birthday present”For the US billionaire. Brunel has denied all allegations.
Epstein was found also unresponsive while in custody in August 2019, as he awaited his trial for child sex traficking and other charges. He was later declared dead as a result of suicide.
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