“You Know What I Like”: DOJ Files Reveal How Epstein’s Network Systematically Procured Underage Girls

By the mid-2000s, Jeffrey Epstein’s exploitation of teenage girls had become pervasive and methodical. Newly released Department of Justice investigative files depict an operation in which victims — some as young as 14 — were lured with promises of legitimate massage work, paid for sexual acts, and sometimes pressured into recruiting other girls.

Epstein’s Network and Recruitment
Prosecutors say Epstein relied on a circle of aides and associates, most notably Ghislaine Maxwell, to maintain a “steady supply” of underage victims. Documents show recruiters and staff were instructed to identify, vet and call young women at short notice. A 2001 police report recounts Maxwell telling college students she needed “young, beautiful unmarried women” for office work at her Palm Beach home — where callers would later ask when particular girls would be dropped off.

Assembly-Line Procurement
Recent investigative notes portray an almost industrial process for procuring victims. FBI interview notes from 2019 record shorthand observations such as “friends of [redacted] friends,” “Big Brazilian group,” and “running out of girls.” Witnesses recalled Epstein insisting on ID checks to ensure recruits were under 18 and making comments like “you know what I like,” understood to mean a preference for “young, petite underage” girls.

Victims Pressured to Recruit Others
The files document repeated solicitations to victims to bring additional girls to Epstein’s residences. At Maxwell’s federal trial, a law enforcement officer testified that a victim recalled Maxwell saying, in effect, “Do you know anyone who could give him a blowjob today? I don’t feel like it.” Other victims told investigators they were offered more money to recruit younger girls; some refused, not wanting others to suffer the same abuse.

Other Figures Under Scrutiny
The records also flagged wider involvement. An email from July 2019 referenced the “status of the 10 CO conspirators.” One person named in investigations was Jean‑Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent accused of supplying teenagers to Epstein. Brunel was arrested in December 2020 on allegations including rape, sexual assault of minors and human trafficking; he was later found dead in custody.

Allegations of Shared Abusive Material
Several documents suggest abusive images or videos may have circulated among Epstein and his associates. In 2023, an attorney for an Epstein estate co-executor told the FBI they had encountered material that appeared to depict topless underage women. Decades earlier, in 1996, Maria Farmer reported that Epstein had stolen nude photographs and negatives of her then-12- and 16-year-old siblings and was believed to have sold them; that report was recorded as a "child pornography" case but was not pursued at the time.

These newly released files underscore both the scope of Epstein’s predatory system and the missed opportunities by authorities to follow up on early allegations.

Help And Resources
If you or someone you know needs help: In the US, call or text the Childhelp abuse hotline at 800-422-4453 or visit their website. Adult survivors can find support at ascasupport.org. In the UK, the NSPCC offers help to children at 0800 1111 and for adults concerned about a child at 0808 800 5000; Napac supports adult survivors at 0808 801 0331. In Australia, contact Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800, Bravehearts at 1800 272 831, or the Blue Knot Foundation at 1300 657 380. Additional resources are listed at Child Helplines International.