Topline
Victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged abuse sued celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai and his companies Tuesday for allegedly helping to “groom” women for Epstein’s abuse, taking aim at the famed hairdresser after Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., named Fekkai on the House floor as one of several alleged Epstein “co-conspirators” who should be investigated and prosecuted.
Frederic Fekkai attends the “Here Lies Love” Broadway Opening Night at Broadway Theatre on July 20, 2023 in New York City.
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Key Facts
Seven Epstein victims filed a civil lawsuit against Fekkai in New York state court, Courthouse News first reported Tuesday, under New York’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, which allows victims of gender-motivated violence to temporarily bring legal claims even after the statute of limitations has expired.
The lawsuit alleges Fekkai helped “groom” Epstein’s victims by providing services under the financier’s “direction and control,” allegedly styling victims “to look as young as possible,” and victims allege Fekkai “bleach[ed] victims blond and groomed them like dolls into Epstein’s and other’s liking.”
The lawsuit does not allege any direct sexual abuse by Fekkai, but more broadly alleges the hairstylist enabled gender-motivated violence by acting “as a perks machine for Epstein,” with Fekkai allegedly helping Epstein by “participating in the grooming process of the sexual abuse” and providing a business location where Epstein could further his alleged sex trafficking scheme.
In exchange for allegedly helping Epstein, the lawsuit alleges Epstein in turn helped Fekkai get a “financial windfall” and turn his business into a “billion-dollar beauty product mainstay”—particularly noting Fekkai sold products at Victoria’s Secret, owned by longtime Epstein associate Les Wexner, and operated his salon at Wexner-owned department store Henri Bendel. (Wexner has denied any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.)
Two of the victims named in the lawsuit allege they were underage when Epstein brought them to Fekkai for beauty services, and the allegations in the lawsuit span from 1994 to 2007.
Fekkai’s company has not yet responded to a request for comment, but after Epstein’s former assistant Sarah Kellen similarly alleged the hairstylist was complicit in Epstein’s abuse, Fekkai’s representative Mark Herr denied the allegations to CNN, saying the hairstylist “knew nothing about Epstein’s repugnant depravity or trafficking” and did not participate in it.
Crucial Quote
“Epstein used Fekkai and his entities to control and further abuse the victims and in turn Fekkai made millions,” the lawsuit alleges, adding the financier allegedly “utilized Fekkai’s salons as a network to manipulate, coerce and commit acts of gender motivated violence against victims and the Plaintiffs.”
What to Watch for
The civil lawsuit asks for victims to be awarded an unspecified amount of damages for Fekkai’s alleged enabling of Epstein’s abuse, and for the case to go to a jury trial. It’s still unclear how long it could take the litigation to play out. Fekkai also faces a potential criminal investigation, after Republicans on the House Oversight Committee referred allegations against him to the Justice Department in June. The referral was based on Kellen’s testimony to the committee, as she alleged Fekkai sexually assaulted her and helped “groom” Epstein victims by providing styling services. It’s unclear if the DOJ is investigating Fekkai, as they’re not required to take up every referral they receive, and how long any investigation could take to play out.
Chief Critic
Fekkai’s spokesperson Herr previously described the hairstylist as being “astonished” to read Kellen’s testimony, which alleged the hairstylist “took advantage of” her one night when they were sharing a hotel room because Kellen could not afford her own. “Mr. Fekkai never abused anyone. He never participated in any illegal behavior,” Herr said. “He did nothing wrong.” Fekkai’s representatives have also denied Kellen’s allegations that the hairstylist introduced her to Epstein, CNN noted.
News Peg
The lawsuit against Fekkai came one day after Massie read the hairstylist’s name on the House floor, as part of a broader list of alleged Epstein “co-conspirators” whom he believes should be “investigated and prosecuted.” Massie is pushing Congress to pass a second part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act that forced the Epstein files’ release, which would allow state attorney generals, Epstein victims and other parties to sue the government if some documents aren’t released. In addition to Fekkai, Massie also named high-profile figures including billionaires Wexler, Leon Black, Tom Pritzker and Glenn Dubin, former Barclays CEO Jes Staley, magician David Copperfield and former Epstein assistant Lesley Groff. All of those named have denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein’s alleged abuse, and no charges have ever previously been brought against them.
Further Reading
Epstein’s Longtime Assistant Sarah Kellen Testifies To Congress Today—Arguing She’s Also A Victim (Forbes)
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