NewsMacroSeven Epstein Survivors Sue Celebrity Stylist Frédéric Fekkai, Alleging He Groomed Victims 'Like Dolls'

Seven Epstein Survivors Sue Celebrity Stylist Frédéric Fekkai, Alleging He Groomed Victims 'Like Dolls'

Author: Rawstory·

Key Takeaways

  • Seven women who say Epstein abused them sued hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai, alleging he helped groom victims for Epstein's trafficking operation.
  • The lawsuit also names former employee Patrick Coombs but does not accuse either man of sexual assault.
  • Rep. Thomas Massie accused Fekkai of being among Epstein's "perpetrators" on the House floor while pressing the DOJ to release additional files.
  • Fekkai's spokesperson and attorney deny the allegations, saying he did nothing wrong and had no knowledge of or role in Epstein's conduct.
  • DOJ records indicate Fekkai's relationship with Epstein extended beyond salon visits and continued after Epstein's 2008 conviction.
Seven Epstein Survivors Sue Celebrity Stylist Frédéric Fekkai, Alleging He Groomed Victims 'Like Dolls'

Celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai is facing a new lawsuit alleging that he helped facilitate Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking operation for years.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) accused Fekkai on the House floor Monday of being among the "perpetrators" of the notorious sex trafficker's crimes as he pushed for the Department of Justice to release millions of additional files. A day later, on Tuesday, seven women who say they were abused by Epstein sued the hairstylist for allegedly helping to "groom" women for abuse, CNN reported.

"Fekkai groomed the victims to look as young as possible under Epstein's direction," the lawsuit reportedly claims. "Epstein would direct Fekkai to bleach victims blond and groom them like dolls into Epstein's and others' liking."

The complaint accuses Fekkai and one of his former employee, Patrick Coombs, of aiding the abuse. Notably, it does not accuse either man of sexual assault, according to CNN.

According to the suit, Epstein directed Fekkai to alter victims' appearances — bleaching their hair blond and cutting it in specific styles — to mold them to his preferences. Five Jane Does filed a similar suit against Fekkai earlier this year, but dropped it in June before the broader complaint was filed.

Fekkai, a French-born stylist who built an international salon and haircare brand and counted high-profile clients in entertainment and politics, has representatives who have denied the allegations. Spokesperson Mark Herr said Fekkai "has done nothing wrong" and had no way of knowing whether any Epstein victim was among the thousands of clients served across his salons each year. Fekkai's attorney, Josh Perry likewise denied that his client knew about, participated in, or enabled Epstein's conduct.

Massie, who lost his Kentucky Republican primary to a Donald Trump-endorsed challenger, authored the Epstein Files Transparency Act and has continued pressing the Justice Department to release additional records. He told colleagues that alleged "perpetrators," including Fekkai, connected to Epstein's crimes need to be investigated.

Records from the Justice Department's Epstein files show that Fekkai's relationship with Epstein extended well beyond salon visits and continued after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor — a conviction that stemmed from a widely criticized plea deal under which Epstein served roughly 13 months in a Florida work-release program. Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, and in the years since, civil litigation and newly released files have increasingly focused not only on Epstein himself but on associates alleged to have enabled his operation.

The lawsuit adds to mounting scrutiny of people in Epstein's orbit who allegedly helped sustain his operation without directly participating in abuse. Earlier this year, former Epstein associate Sarah Kellen accused Fekkai of sexual assault in the early 2000s — an allegation Fekkai has denied — prompting the Oversight Committee's top Republican to call for a DOJ investigation.