Emails show agent begged Epstein to have sex with model

The agent of a top model who jumped to her death two years after visiting Jeffrey Epstein's island aged 18 begged the disgraced financier to have sex with women, new emails reveal.

Ramsey Elkholy, a US-based former model agent, sent the disgraced financier hundreds of emails discussing women over the course of a decade, according to files recently released by Department of Justice (DOJ).

The emails, sent across a ten-year period, include references to women's bodies and their attitudes toward sex, and discuss Elkholy setting up meetings between Epstein and women as young as 18.

Notably, they reference top Russian model Ruslana Korshunova, who died by suicide in 2009 – two years after visiting Epstein's Caribbean island aged only 18.

Korshunova, a rising star of the fashion industry, traveled to Little St James island on Epstein's Boeing 727 - dubbed the Lolita Express - shortly before her death. 

The model, whose appearance in Epstein's flight logs raising concerns she had been exploited, jumped from a ninth-floor balcony of a building in New York. 

Emails shared between Epstein and the agent appear to suggest she had been represented by Elkholy.

Speaking to the BBC, Elkholy - who now describes himself as an anthropologist and musician - said he regrets his association with Epstein and the language used in some of the emails. 

However, he said he was not aware the financier had been abusing women and said he was not a member of Epstein's inner circle.

The DOJ files suggest Elkholy was in contact with Epstein from at least 2009 until shortly before the financier's death in 2019.

A search for Elkholy's name on the DOJ website returns over 2,000 results. However, many results are duplicated, with Elkholy telling the broadcaster the files prove he only met Epstein ten to 12 times over the ten-year period.

However, the emails are numerous - and reference models among those Epstein abused, which the FBI estimates to be approximately 1,000 women and girls. 

In an email sent to the paedophile in 2009, just months after he had been released from prison charged with soliciting prostitution from a minor, Elkholy described Epstein as a 'solid person.'

He said: 'I don't need to tell you that I also value your friendship.

'The reason I never ask for anything in return for introducing you to models is because I consider it more of a favor and I know that you are also good for favors.

'You're a solid person Jeffrey and that means the world to me.'

In another email sent in 2009, Elkholy appeared to acknowledge Epstein's preference for younger women.

Writing to Epstein, he described a 'very hot blonde,' but added that: 'I know 23 is on the old side for you.' At the time, Epstein was 56.

In a 2010 message, Elkholy suggested the paedophile meet an 18-year-old Russian college student that he described as 'gorgeous.'

He told the BBC he hoped that by introducing younger models to Epstein, it would aid their modelling careers.

He wrote: 'I think you will like her.' Epstein's assistant replied to say he did not want to meet her.

A number of messages addressed to Epstein from Elkholy also reference women's bodies and their attitude to sex.

In 2010, Elkholy described a 19-year-old as a '5'11 barbie doll' but added she was a 'hard core christian, so i don't think that will work, which is a shame.'

He also described another woman as a 'business-minded sex machine.'

Moreover, another email appeared to leverage a woman's financial situation in Epstein's favour.

Two days after informing Epstein of a woman who was 'desperate for cash,' Elkholy said he hoped the paedophile was 'getting some mileage' out of the woman's situation 'being all alone' in New York.

Epstein responded 'zero,' to which Elkholy said: 'Jeffrey PLEASE just try her in bed... I really need that so I can feel whole about all this because she's such a pain in the ass. I also think it would be good to get her to know what it is like to get really [expletive].'

Elkholy claimed the message was sent with the woman's permission.

In 2016, Elkholy pitched a number of investments to the financier, which included modelling agencies, a competition and magazines.

In an email referencing an investment in an agency, Elkholy suggested Epstein was 'more interested in the access to women' - swapping the word 'women' for an emoji.

Regarding his modelling competition idea, he said over the period of nine months, '200,000' girls would participate across dozens of cities.

He wrote that this idea was suitable for Epstein as the winner was usually 'another overlooked girl' and he could fly the girls to 'wherever' in the US, Caribbean or Paris.

In the same year, Elkholy suggested he and Epstein buy a Brazilian fashion magazine together, saying in an email: 'You could easily have 20-30 girls trying for the cover each month. Just an idea.'

And when Epstein did not jump at the idea, Elkholy's response was to lament 'all the girls' he could have had sex with if they had bought the magazine.

Elkholy then said he would buy the Brazilian edition instead 'for a couple hundred k,' which would ensure 'a steady stream' of women, referring to them by using an expletive for female genitals.

The correspondence lasted between the pair until 2019, when Epstein's dark past finally began to catch up with him.

Their final emails, however, concerned bringing a Russian woman to the US.

Elkholy said: 'She will be in London if you want to import her.'

Epstein responded saying acquiring a US visa would be difficult.

In response, Elkholy said: 'Maybe she can try for some kind of student visa?' to which Epstein suggested trying Dubai.

Epstein was arrested for the second time only three months later, and on August 10, 2019, he was found dead in his prison cell. 

He had been held at New York's Metropolitan Correctional Center on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges ahead of trial.