Jennifer Araoz was 14 in 2001 when she was approached by a brunette woman in her 20s who pretended that she was lost outside of her high school, The Talent Unlimited High School in New York City.
The woman started asking her about her family and financial situation and later mentioned that she wanted to introduce her to a "kind" and "wealthy" man she knew. That man was billionaire, Jeffrey Epstein.
After several encounters with the woman who later turned out to be Epstein's assistant, Araoz eventually gave in and agreed to meet with Epstein at his mansion on 71st street, about 8 blocks from her high school.
Jennifer Araoz was from Queens, New York, and had lost her father when she was only 12 years old to AIDS. When Araoz met Epstein, she said that he was sorry about her losing her father and would give her wine when she visited. Each time she and the assistant visited Epstein to hang out, he would give her $300 just to help her out. After several more meetings without his assistant, Araoz was eventually persuaded to strip down to her underwear and give him massages. She felt obligated after all the financial help she had received from Epstein. Future massages would involve Epstein turning around and playing with his nipples and masturbating.
In 2002, when Araoz was 15 and a sophomore, she was asked to "try something new" and do the massage while on top of him. That was when she was forcefully raped without a condom by Jeffrey Epstein. She ran out of Epstein's home following that and never returned. Araoz avoided going to school because she didn't want to see Epstein or his assistant.
In March of 2019, Araoz, who is now 32 years old, tried to get a settlement from Epstein, but with no luck. She expressed that she should've spoken out sooner after it had happened and is now planning on suing Epstein. Araoz claimed that Epstein knew her age at the time and that she was only a minor, but it didn't seem to bother him.
Araoz is one of several women to have come forward with allegations against Epstein, who had been accused of exploiting young girls for sex parties with his friends. Federal agents broke in and raided Epstein's home and confiscated his computer, discs, photos, and more.
Jennifer Araoz told NBC that, 'I was so young that I was worried that somehow I would get in trouble. I was really frightened of Epstein. He knew a lot of powerful people and I didn't know what he could do to me, and I wasn't sure that anyone could protect me,'
She continued, 'What hurts me even more so is that if I wasn't afraid to come forward sooner then maybe he wouldn't have done it to other girls,'