Epstein Survivor Details Rape Under House Arrest at Florida Hearing

A survivor of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse recounted how the late sex offender raped her repeatedly while he was under house arrest for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

Roza, recruited from Uzbekistan as a teenager by Epstein's associate and modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, spoke publicly for the first time at a field hearing organized by House Democrats. She said Brunel introduced her to Epstein in July 2009 and offered her work "to help me with my financial troubles." Over the next three years, Epstein raped her.

Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia said the unofficial hearing took place in West Palm Beach, Florida, where Epstein's "crimes first came to light." He noted its location near President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence. Democrats from the House Oversight Committee and local Democratic members held the session.

The Republican-majority committee is investigating Epstein's crimes. Democratic members have scrutinized the Trump administration's handling of Epstein files. The hearing has no legal authority but aims to keep the case in the spotlight.

Lawmakers heard how Epstein and his accomplices evaded accountability for years and how the justice system repeatedly failed victims.

Roza, identified only by her first name, said she met Brunel in 2008 at age 18 and he "promised a modelling career beyond my dreams." "Coming from a financially unstable background I was a perfect target for coercion," she said in tearful testimony.

By May 2009, she was in New York City on a visa. In July, she met Epstein at his West Palm Beach house while he was under house arrest. Epstein offered her a role at his Florida Science Foundation, where he had worked under a 2008 conviction arrangement allowing him to leave custody up to 16 hours a day, six days a week.

"One day his masseuse called me into his room where I was molested for the first time by Jeffrey," Roza said. "For the following three years I was subject to ongoing rape."

Epstein died in a New York prison cell on August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His 2008 conviction was for soliciting prostitution from a minor, and he was registered as a sex offender.

A report by Democratic Oversight Committee members, published Tuesday, found that a 2008 plea deal negotiated by Epstein's lawyer enabled him to "continue his abuse and trafficking activities for almost another decade."

Roza said the abuse while under house arrest "made justice feel impossible," but she "eventually found the courage to reach out for help." She described being retraumatized when her name was accidentally published in Epstein files released by the Department of Justice, "while the rich and powerful remained protected by redaction."

"Now reporters from across the globe contact me. I cannot live without looking over my shoulder. I can only imagine the long term impact this 'mistake' will have on my life."

The DOJ has said it "takes victim protection very seriously." It removed Epstein-related files from its website after victims reported compromised identities from flawed redactions due to "technical or human error."