Los Angeles, April 6 – Supermodel Gigi Hadid has finally addressed the rumors surrounding her and her sister Bella Hadid's alleged involvement in the infamous Epstein files.
In an email exchange between Jeffrey Epstein and an unnamed individual, released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and reviewed by people.com, the individual asked the late financier how Gigi, 30, and Bella, 29, "became models and made so much money."
After Epstein replied, "You know," the individual suggested that their father "paid the agency."
"No," Epstein responded, later clarifying, "Because they follow directions, it's that simple."
Following the release of the email, a social media user commented on one of Gigi's Instagram posts on March 29, stating that she "had to unfollow" the model because of her silence about being mentioned in the files, according to people.com.
Many women came forward to accuse Epstein of sexual abuse between 2008 and 2019.
In July 2019, Epstein was arrested and charged with one count of sex trafficking of minors and one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors. Just weeks later, on August 10, the disgraced financier and registered sex offender died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial on federal conspiracy and sex trafficking charges.
In a since-deleted reply to the comment on her Instagram post, Gigi explained why she didn't initially comment on her inclusion in the Epstein files.
"It's horrible to read someone you've never met speak about you that way. Especially in this context," she wrote, according to E! News and InStyle.
"I didn't comment because I don't want to take away from the stories of real victims of his; but your comment made me realize maybe it's not clear—and it’s important to let you know."
"To be named in those files, I think I was 20-21 at the time he would have written that email — is disturbing. And I want to state unequivocally that I have never had any affiliation with that disgusting human being."
Acknowledging that she did grow up "privileged," Gigi went on to say that her parents, Mohamed Hadid and Yolanda Hadid, "protected me and taught me the value of hard work."
She also emphasized that, after being signed by a modeling agency in 2012, she has "worked hard for every moment since."