Gérald Marie faces European Court challenge over alleged sexual assaults

British journalist Lisa Brinkworth has filed an application with the European Court of Human Rights seeking to condemn France for failing to investigate former Elite agency director Gérald Marie. Marie has been accused by several women of rape and sexual assault and is alleged to have links with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The French investigations were closed in 2023 on grounds of prescription after Brinkworth’s 2020 complaint. Her new request, submitted on 24 June and represented by lawyers William Bourdon and Colomba Grossi, is currently under examination.

Brinkworth says the alleged connection between Marie and Epstein “established that there was an association” and argues that “investigating Gérald Marie constitutes a genuine urgency.” The push comes after the July 20 discovery of the body of model recruiter Daniel Siad, who is suspected of acting as a procurer for Epstein‑linked women. A former Swedish model has claimed she was raped in 1990 by Marie after being introduced by Siad. French courts have previously dismissed Brinkworth’s case, prompting the appeal to the European Court.

The case highlights ongoing calls for accountability in the French modeling industry and broader investigations into Epstein’s network.