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Brunel was the subject of a seven-month investigation by CBS producer Craig Pyes and reporter Diane Sawyer for 60 Minutes. The investigative segment “American Models in Paris,” which aired on 23 December 1988, covered the conduct of Brunel and fellow Parisian modeling agent Claude Haddad.[17] Several American models who worked with Brunel were interviewed by 60 Minutes and described their experiences of the culture Brunel fostered where the models were routinely drugged and sexually abused.[18] Eileen Ford (of the New York-based Ford Modeling Agency) had sent her models to Brunel for Paris assignments and was interviewed for the program where she claimed no prior knowledge of the multiple complaints from models of sexual exploitation and drug abuse by Brunel.[17] He denied the claims, but Ford ultimately severed ties with him following the broadcast.[17] Michael Gross reported in Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women that Brunel had admitted to using cocaine for years.[17] Brunel defended his use by stating that he did not have a drug problem since he refrained from using cocaine during the day.[17]

In 2002, Brunel was again associated with abuse after Elite supermodel Karen Mulder described to the French press the culture of sexual misconduct and manipulation prevalent in the modeling industry.[6] Brunel did not face criminal charges.

Brunel has been accused by Virginia Giuffre of having sexually trafficked girls for Epstein. Giuffre claimed in a 2015 affidavit that Epstein bragged to her that he had “slept with over 1,000 of Brunel’s girls.”[4] Brunel responded by denying involvement in any illegal activities with Epstein, saying, "I strongly deny having committed any illicit act or any wrongdoing in the course of my work as a scouter or model agencies manager." From 1998 to 2005, Brunel was listed as a passenger in flight logs for Epstein's private plane on 25 trips.[6] He was also a regular visitor to the jail where Epstein was held in 2008, with at least 70 recorded visits.[7]

Brunel sued Epstein in 2015, claiming that he and MC2 had "lost multiple contacts and business in the modelling business as a result of Epstein’s illegal actions."[3][19] He also alleged that Epstein had obstructed justice by directing Brunel to avoid having his deposition taken in the criminal case against Epstein by the Palm Beach Police Department.[19] The lawsuit was later dismissed. The victims had been waiting a long time for Jean-Luc Brunel's arrest.[6]

Brunel was last seen in public at the Paris Country Club on 5 July 2019.[20] Following Epstein's death in August 2019, Brunel went into hiding. Shortly thereafter, the French National Police launched an investigation into Brunel.[4] In September 2019, Brunel's Paris home and offices were searched by French investigators as part of a probe into sex trafficking by Epstein.[21]

On 16 December 2020, Brunel was intercepted by police at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, as he was about to board a flight to Dakar. He was then placed under 'garde à vue' custody for questioning. He was being held in relation to rape, sexual assault, criminal conspiracy, and human trafficking. All the allegations involve minors.[22][5]

Having spent several months remanded in custody for the aforementioned charges, Brunel was formally indicted in September 2021 on a single count of rape. The indictment stemmed from an allegation that Brunel drugged a 17-year-old model at a nightclub and raped her in the 1990s.[23] Brunel claimed to be innocent.[24]

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many famous/political people that are wrapped up in this

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