Hugh Hefner ‘repeatedly’ flagged Epstein to FBI
A lawsuit has revealed how despite reports, the FBI failed to act on complaints about Jeffrey Epstein.
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner repeatedly contacted the FBI on behalf of a model alleging Jeffrey Epstein had raped and trafficked her, but the FBI did not investigate her for 15 years, according to a New York Post report. The model, Audra Lynn Christiansen, reached out to Hefner in 2005 after discussing the alleged abuse, but federal investigators only took action in 2020, after Epstein's death.
Christiansen claimed she asked Hefner to intervene because of his law enforcement connections and influence. Jordan Merson, an attorney for the alleged victims, criticized the FBI for attempting to avoid accountability through procedural loopholes. The FBI sought to dismiss the lawsuit in June, arguing it was not legally obligated to investigate every complaint.
Epstein was arrested in 2019 on charges of sex trafficking minors and died in custody before trial. He had previously pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008. Over 3 million FBI documents related to Epstein were released earlier this year, naming over 300 individuals, including Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger, and Kevin Spacey.
Hefner faced posthumous allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in the 2022 documentary series 'Secrets of Playboy', alleging coerced sex and drug use. Despite the allegations, many women signed an open letter defending Hefner.
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