Shocking Epstein Files leak: How a top modeling executive's 40-year secret finally brought her down
ETimes March 31, 2026 01:39 PM
Just when you thought the Jeffrey Epstein saga couldn't possibly get any darker, another massive bombshell has dropped. And this one? It’s sending shockwaves straight through the glamorous, high-stakes heart of the global fashion industry.
The US Justice Department’s mandated release of the " Epstein Files " spanning late 2025 into early 2026 has pulled back the curtain on some incredibly powerful figures. But the biggest name caught in the current crossfire is Faith Kates .
If you don't know the name, you definitely know her work. Kates is a titan in the modeling world. Back in 1989, she co-founded Next Model Management (now known simply as Next Management) alongside Joel Wilkenfeld and the late Jean-Luc Brunel. Honestly, looking back, the red flags were there -Brunel himself died in a French prison while waiting to face trial for his own Epstein-related sex trafficking charges.
The 'unconditional' friendship
What the newly leaked documents reveal is a deeply disturbing, nearly 40-year relationship between Kates and the disgraced financier. We aren't just talking about passing acquaintances at ritzy galas, either. The files literally mention Kates over 5,000 times.
You'd think a high-profile executive would distance herself after a criminal conviction. Not Kates. Even after Epstein was convicted of soliciting a minor, she didn't back away. Actually, she doubled down. Emails from 2009 show Kates offering him her "unconditional" friendship and support. She even wrote, "I really do love you like a brother." Crazy, right? They were still exchanging friendly emails just weeks before Epstein's final arrest in 2019.
The modeling pipeline
This is where the allegations get truly alarming. Records and interviews heavily suggest Kates actively connected her agency's female models directly with Epstein.
Former Victoria’s Secret model Barbara Stoyanoff came forward with a chilling story. She claims Kates set up a meeting with Epstein right inside the supposed safety of Next's New York offices. The result? Epstein allegedly asked Stoyanoff to lift her dress so he could "evaluate" her body. Another aspiring model was brought to him, only to be brutally insulted about her appearance and rejected for a trip on his private jet.
And the disturbing requests kept coming. Communications show Epstein routinely hitting Kates up for the "names of girls" for gala events, or asking for "aspiring actresses" to tag along to high-profile dinners. As recently as 2017, she reportedly sent him the photos and intimate measurements of a stunning former Next model.
Millions, charity, and secret advice
Behind closed doors, their bond went far beyond social favors. Kates secretly leaned on Epstein for high-level business advice. The documents show them discussing massive, multi-million dollar loans. And the money flowed both ways. Epstein even funneled donations to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, a charity where Kates proudly served as president.
A brutal fall from grace
When these documents resurfaced late last year, the heat turned up fast. Kates's camp tried to do some serious damage control. A spokesperson defended her, calling Epstein a "master manipulator" and insisting she never put any models in harm’s way by sending them to sketchy go-sees or meetings.
But the fashion world wasn't buying it. The backlash was immediate and fierce. By December 2025, Kates abruptly stepped down from her throne at Next Management. While her official statement tried to spin the sudden exit as a quiet retirement to focus on charity work, industry insiders whispered a different truth. She was forced out.
Next Management didn't hesitate to cut the cord. The agency severed all legal ties and released a blunt statement, claiming they had absolutely no idea about their co-founder’s dark ties to Epstein. For an industry that relies entirely on image, this scandal leaves a permanent, devastating stain.
