Saturday, February 21, 2026-Ofer Raphaeli, an Israeli businessman who founded the Tel Aviv branch of the international modeling agency MC2, has publicly rejected allegations tying him to the criminal activities of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Raphaeli stressed that his interactions with Epstein were limited — he says he met the financier only twice by chance for short periods and maintained no meaningful friendship, business partnership, or ongoing connection. He emphasized that emails exchanged with Epstein were routine holiday greetings among many contacts and did not signify deeper involvement.
Raphaeli acknowledged that he knew modeling agent Jean‑Luc Brunel, a Paris‑based figure long linked to Epstein’s network, but insisted he was unaware of any unlawful conduct by the New York branch of the agency or by Brunel himself while it was operating.
He noted that the U.S. and Miami offices were closed years ago and said he never managed the New York operations except during a single work visit in 2004. Raphaeli is consulting a lawyer and has indicated he may pursue defamation action to protect his reputation and that of his agency in Israel.
The comments come amid the ongoing release of millions of internal Justice Department documents related to Epstein’s criminal investigations, which continue to generate scrutiny of prominent individuals and institutions once connected to him. While Raphaeli denies knowledge of any criminal activity, broader public and legal attention remains focused on the extensive network surrounding Epstein and the questions still being raised about how his relationships intersected with global elites.
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