Epstein Survivor Recalls Years of Abuse, Explains Why She Thought the Government Would Never Stop Him

Roza Gilles, a model abused by late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, spoke publicly about her ordeal, recalling that she never believed the government would stop him.

In a Monday interview with CNN’s MJ Lee, Gilles explained how she found herself in Epstein’s clutches, landing at a modeling agency with ties to the disgraced financier. At one point, she remembered being sent to West Palm Beach, Fla. to take photos at Epstein’s mansion.

As she began to struggle financially, Gilles she was offered a secretary job at Epstein’s Florida Science Foundation. Not long into this position, Gilles said she was assaulted by Epstein for the first time.

“I froze,” Gilles said. “And [another] woman comes over and starts unbuttoning my blouse. She takes it off, then she takes off my bra, and then she walks out.”

Per Gilles, this was the first of several assaults, with the survivor sharing that she only realized years later that Epstein was wearing an ankle monitor during the first incident. Epstein was forced to wear the monitor as he had been serving time for soliciting prostitution from a minor.

“He didn’t stop what he was doing while convicted. He was doing the same thing,” Gilles said. “He had no remorse. The things he was doing to me hurt me so much, and left the biggest scar, and I will never – I will never be able to move on from this, no matter how hard I try.”

Gilles shared that she remembered thinking that she was “going to die” if she came forward with her allegations against Epstein. Gilles felt particularly powerless after she witnessed a man in uniform – who she believed may’ve worked for the sheriff – have a friendly conversation with Epstein at his home, ultimately leaving without arresting the controversial businessman.

“After I saw that sheriff, I understood that no matter what you do, this man is never going to be arrested,” Gilles said. “This man will never be stopped, and regardless of whether you scream and shout from the top of the universe, nobody would care.”

As the abuse continued, Gilles said she “ran around New York City as a child trying to get an STD to kill a pedophile,” adding, “Because I didn’t believe the government would ever stop him. That wasn’t my job to stop him.”

Gilles also called out her former modeling agency, claiming they witnessed how she was struggling.

“They saw me drink every night,” she said. “I would just scratch myself until I bled. And, as I was spiraling out, as I was losing weight, my hair was falling out, I kept this secret inside me for so long.”

Gilles eventually left Epstein’s grasp, relocating to the Midwest, where she met her husband and began rebuilding her life.

Watch Gilles’ CNN interview above.