Gigi Hadid is addressing a deeply unsettling moment head-on—breaking her silence after her name surfaced in documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein.
The 30-year-old model had previously stayed quiet following reports that she was mentioned in a December 2015 email exchange between Epstein and another individual. But after months of public speculation, Hadid responded directly—choosing to clarify her position in a candid and emotional message on Instagram.
The resurfaced email included a conversation where a redacted individual asked Epstein, “How did the Hadid sisters became models and make so much money?! I don’t understand…”
Epstein replied, “You know.” When pressed further with “The father paid the agency,” Epstein responded “No,” later adding, “Because they follow directions, its that simple.”
The exchange quickly circulated online, prompting scrutiny—and, in some cases, misplaced assumptions.
Hadid’s response came after a follower commented, “I had to unfollow u bc u ain’t talk bout those files Gigi.”
She didn’t ignore it.
“made me sick to my stomach. Horrible to read someone you’ve never met speak about you that way. Especially in this context. Never in my life met the monster- to me it was so obvious, in that email chain, he tried to take responsibility of peoples careers in order to manipulate his victims (in this case, whoever was emailing him questions about my career) .. who never saw the work he claimed he’d get them,” Gigi began.
She went on to outline her own path into modeling, pushing back against any implication of wrongdoing or external influence. “I didn’t comment bc I don’t want to take away from the stories of real victims of his; but your comment made me realize maybe its not clear— and it’s important to let you know- I grew up privileged, yes. But my parents protected me and taught me the value of hard work, the same hard work that got them to this country and gave them careers. We applied for and my mom brought me herself to meetings with agencies in NYC just before I turned 18, two of which she was signed to in her career- Marylins and Ford.. I probably met w 10 agencies- only Marylin’s, IMG, and (maybe?) one other agency offered me a contract. I signed to IMG in 2012. And I’ve worked hard every moment since.”
She closed her statement with a firm and unequivocal denial: “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. May he rest in 🔥🔥,” she concluded.
Hadid’s decision to speak out strikes a careful balance—acknowledging the gravity of Epstein’s crimes while defending her own name against implication. It’s a reminder of how even indirect mentions can ripple into public narratives, and how reclaiming that narrative matters.
