Two aspiring models, worlds apart yet bound by the same cruel deception, chased the sparkle of Victoria’s Secret fame—only to crash into Jeffrey Epstein’s predatory trap.
In 1997, Alicia Arden, 27 and hopeful, stepped into a Santa Monica hotel room for what she believed was a legitimate catalog audition. Epstein, posing as a talent scout, suddenly groped her, tugged at her clothes, and demanded to “manhandle” her. Terrified, she fled in tears and reported the sexual assault to police the next day—one of the earliest documented cries against him.
A year earlier, in 1996, artist Maria Farmer, 26, found herself at a guarded estate tied to Les Wexner, Victoria’s Secret’s billionaire founder. While working on a project there, Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell allegedly assaulted her, trapping her in a nightmare of violation and threats.
Both women escaped, but their warnings echoed unheard for decades as Epstein’s fake scouting scheme continued to lure and exploit.
What other victims remain silenced by the glamour’s dark shadow?
Two aspiring models, separated by geography and circumstance yet ensnared by the same insidious deception, pursued the dazzling promise of Victoria’s Secret fame—only to collide with Jeffrey Epstein’s predatory web.
In May 1997, 27-year-old Alicia Arden, an aspiring model and actress with credits on shows like “Baywatch,” entered a suite at the Shutters on the Beach hotel in Santa Monica for what she believed was a legitimate catalog audition. Epstein, introducing himself as a talent scout with ties to the brand through his connection to billionaire Les Wexner (Victoria’s Secret’s architect via L Brands), invited her in. Expecting portfolio review and professional feedback, Arden instead faced horror: Epstein groped her buttocks, tugged at her clothes, and demanded to “manhandle” her body under the pretense of assessing a fitting. Terrified and in tears, she broke free and fled. The next day, she filed a police report with the Santa Monica Police Department alleging sexual battery—one of the earliest documented complaints against him. Despite the report, no charges followed; authorities later claimed Arden declined to press charges, though she strongly disputed this.
A year earlier, in the summer of 1996, 26-year-old artist Maria Farmer found herself at a guarded estate in New Albany, Ohio—part of a vast property owned by Wexner and developed under his vision. Hired to create artwork (including pieces for the film “As Good As It Gets”), Farmer was offered space at the estate by Epstein, who managed Wexner’s finances and assets. During visits, Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell allegedly sexually assaulted her in a bedroom, groping and violating her against her will. Farmer described being held against her will afterward by security until her father retrieved her. Traumatized, she reported the assault to the New York Police Department and the FBI on August 26, 1996—the first known formal complaint detailing Epstein’s misconduct, including child exploitation concerns. Authorities took no apparent action.
Both women escaped physically, but their cries echoed unheard for decades. Epstein brazenly used Victoria’s Secret’s allure—posing as a recruiter despite no official role—to lure vulnerable women and girls with promises of catalog spots, runway opportunities, or elite modeling careers. Executives at The Limited reportedly alerted Wexner in the mid-1990s to Epstein’s unauthorized impersonations, yet the scheme persisted unchecked.
The exploitation’s reach was vast. Federal investigations identified dozens of minor victims abused from the 1990s to 2007; civil suits and the Epstein Victims’ Compensation Fund (which paid out $121 million to about 150 claimants by 2021) suggested far more. Recent Justice Department estimates place the total number of survivors at over 1,000 women and children, many groomed through false modeling promises. Victims like Virginia Giuffre, recruited at 16, described being trafficked under similar lures, while others reported young girls in school uniforms told they were auditioning for the brand.
Why did warnings from Arden, Farmer, and others linger in silence? Wealth, elite connections, and institutional inaction shielded Epstein—early reports dismissed, powerful associations granting impunity, and a culture that overlooked red flags. Wexner severed ties around 2007 after Epstein’s initial plea deal, later accusing him of misappropriating funds and denying knowledge of crimes.
Epstein died by suicide in 2019 awaiting trial; Maxwell was convicted in 2021 and sentenced to 20 years. Yet many questions endure: What other victims remain silenced by the glamour’s dark shadow? How many dreams were shattered before the truth broke through? The scale of suffering—potentially over a thousand lives—underscores a haunting legacy of deception masked as opportunity.
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