Executive Summary
- Latvia launches criminal probe into human trafficking linked to Epstein files.
- Investigation focuses on the recruitment of nationals for exploitation in the US.
- President Edgars Rinkevics urged authorities to act after passport data surfaced.
- The head of a named modeling agency has denied knowledge of any wrongdoing.
Authorities in Latvia have commenced a criminal investigation into alleged human trafficking operations following the disclosure of documents associated with the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to police officials in the Baltic state. The probe was triggered by references within the files to Latvian model agencies and specific models.
The inquiry, which involves a collaboration between Latvian prosecutors and the Organized Crime Bureau, was formally announced on Thursday. In a released statement, police officials confirmed that the investigation will center on "the possible recruitment of Latvian nationals for sexual exploitation in the United States." Law enforcement agencies have issued a public appeal for potential victims to come forward to assist with the ongoing inquiry.
The move to investigate follows a direct call to action from Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics. This intervention occurred after the national public broadcaster reported that the Epstein documents included specific passport data and travel itineraries for several Latvian women. Meanwhile, neighboring Lithuania launched a similar investigation into human trafficking allegations earlier this week.
Eriks Neisans, the head of the Natalie modelling agency which was mentioned in the released files, denied any knowledge of wrongdoing when speaking to the public broadcaster. The documents are part of a massive cache released by the U.S. Justice Department, detailing the late financier’s connections across politics, finance, and business both before and after his 2008 guilty plea to prostitution charges.
Transnational Investigative Implications
This development highlights the expanding international legal fallout from the unsealed Epstein files, extending scrutiny beyond U.S. borders into Europe. The involvement of the Organized Crime Bureau suggests authorities are treating the allegations as a sophisticated, potentially cross-border criminal enterprise rather than isolated incidents. As Baltic nations coordinate to address historical exploitation claims surfacing from the dossier, the focus remains on identifying the mechanisms of recruitment used by international trafficking networks. It is important to note that all individuals and entities named in the investigation are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
