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Hungarian names emerge in Epstein files: models, recruiters and Eastern Europe
Fresh details connected to Hungary have emerged from court documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal trafficking charges. Among the newly released material are references to prominent Hungarian models, correspondence from a self-described “model scout” seeking funds to recruit young women in eastern Europe, and a series of unsettling personal messages.
There is no evidence that the models named in the documents had any connection to Epstein or were aware that their names were mentioned.
Barbara Palvin’s name came up in 2013
One exchange, uncovered by the Hungarian outlet HVG, shows that in 2013 a businessman, Tancredi Marchiolo, drew Epstein’s attention to Palvin in an email.
Marchiolo asked whether Epstein knew the Hungarian model. Epstein replied that he did not and inquired which agency represented her. Marchiolo responded that she was 19 and described her as a rising star with Victoria’s Secret.
Born in Budapest in 1993, Palvin was discovered at 13 and went on to achieve international recognition, making her breakthrough at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show in 2012. She has since worked with major fashion houses including Chanel, Armani and Louis Vuitton.
Enikő Mihalik’s name appeared in 2017
Four years later, in 2017, the name of another Hungarian model surfaced in separate correspondence, first, as noted by Telex.
In one message, Epstein asked an acquaintance whether he had seen any “cute girls” at a popular New York gym. The acquaintance replied that he had and mentioned Mihalik by name, adding that “all the girls had amazing bodies (except Enikő).”
Mihalik, born in Békéscsaba in 1987, began her career after winning the Elite Model Look Hungary competition in 2002. She has since worked extensively with leading international brands including Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Prada.
“Model scout” asked for money to find girls in Hungarian villages
The documents also frequently mention a man named Daniel Siad, who called himself a model scout.
In a 2009 email, Siad asked Epstein for money to spend the next few months in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary, where he wanted to look for girls in “small villages.”
He ended his letter with: “I will have a big surprise for you when you come to Paris.”
Siad’s name surfaced again in later correspondence. In 2015, Epstein inquired about “the Hungarian girl”. In another exchange, a Hungarian girl wrote to Epstein that she had broken up with “her friend Daniel,” who treated her like a dog, before asking for money for her birthday.
Hungarian girl with a “funny nose job”
The fashion industry blog The Diet Hungarian Muse noted that, in one publicly released exchange of messages linked to Jeffrey Epstein, a 173-centimetre-tall, 20-year-old Hungarian girl was discussed and effectively offered to Epstein.
In the correspondence, the sender described her in transactional and objectifying terms, remarking that she had a “funny nose job.” The language of the exchange reflects the casual and dehumanising way in which young women were at times spoken about within Epstein’s circle.
No evidence of involvement
It is important to stress that the appearance of names in Epstein’s correspondence does not imply wrongdoing.
There is no indication that either Palvin or Mihalik had any relationship with Epstein or knowledge that they were being discussed. The documents show that numerous public figures were casually referenced within his circle without their involvement in his crimes.
What we know so far:
Orbán mentioned in Epstein–Bannon text exchange
Who was Jeffrey Epstein?
Jeffrey Epstein was first convicted in Florida in 2008 on charges related to procuring a minor for prostitution, following a controversial plea deal.
He was arrested again in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking and exploitation of underage girls. Weeks later, he was found dead in his New York jail cell, in what authorities ruled a suicide.
Since then, court filings and unsealed documents have continued to shed light on the scale of his network and the methods by which he targeted and exploited young women.