Jeffrey Epstein’s former ‘assistant’ reveals terrifying reality of life inside circle | World | News
A woman who said she worked for years as one of Jeffrey Epstein’s “assistants” has given a harrowing account of the abuse, manipulation and coercive control she allegedly experienced in the late financier’s inner circle.
Speaking in an interview with BBCThe woman, identified only as Anya, claimed she was lured into Epstein’s world with promises of a modeling career before falling prey to what she described as an “ecosystem of exploitation”.
Anya said she was hired in her early twenties after meeting model scout Daniel Siad, who introduced her to Epstein, in Paris. She claimed the disgraced financier gained her trust over months by offering her career opportunities before slowly taking control of almost every aspect of her life.
According to Anya, Epstein controlled her finances, monitored who she saw, dictated where she lived, and made her dependent on him while repeatedly sexually abusing her.
“He was like a cult leader,” she claimed, adding that although he was never physically restrained, “the chains were less obvious, but they were there.”
She also alleged that Epstein psychologically manipulated the women who worked for him, encouraging them to compete with each other while convincing them that he was their only source of support.
Anya claimed she was forced to undergo unnecessary surgery to remove a small tattoo because Epstein didn’t like it and it left permanent scars. He said he also collected compromising material about women, including intimate photos and videos, which he believed dissuaded them from speaking out.
The former assistant said she was eventually persuaded to hire other young women, describing it as the “most embarrassing” part of her experience.
“One or 10, you are already an accomplice,” he said.
His allegations echo testimony that Epstein’s former assistant Sarah Kellen gave to the US House Oversight Committee earlier this year; Kellen said she became financially and emotionally dependent on Epstein, destroying her sense of autonomy.
Epstein died in August 2019 in a New York prison while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.
Anya said she decided to speak publicly in the hope that her story would help others recognize the warning signs of coercive control and abusive relationships.
“I’m not special in any way,” he said. “Somehow I managed to find the strength to resist and survive. If I can do it, so can you.”
