Lisa Phillips, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein, has called for a thorough investigation into any Irish links to the convicted U.S. sex offender’s network, telling RTÉ’s The Late Late Show that she is in Ireland to meet “some powerful leaders” and press for action.
Phillips’ appeal comes a week after the Dáil was told that a witness statement contained in the so‑called Epstein files alleged a young girl was trafficked through Ireland “for politicians and notable men for the purposes of sex.”
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“There needs to be a thorough investigation,” Phillips said on the program, adding that Epstein’s operation extended far beyond the United States. “It’s a global human trafficking ring. And there are many powerful people — government officials, financial institutions, universities, the modeling industry, the entertainment industry — there are so many people that are involved, which is why it’s a big mess.”
In response to Phillips’ call, the Department of the Taoiseach said its thoughts were with anyone who suffered abuse at the hands of Epstein or his associates. “We would urge anyone with any information about allegations contained in the Epstein files to contact the police,” the department said.
Speaking publicly in Ireland, Phillips placed survivors at the center of the story and described how she first encountered Epstein while working as a young model. During a shoot in the British Virgin Islands, she said, she and another model spent a day at Epstein’s private island, where she described Epstein as “very charming, very intelligent and very locked in on me.”
Phillips said that during that visit Epstein introduced her to Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor, whom she briefly met at dinner after seeing him earlier by a pool. She said she did not see him again. Mountbatten‑Windsor has strenuously denied any wrongdoing regarding his links to Epstein. Being named in material related to the Epstein case is not, in itself, an indication of wrongdoing.
Phillips recounted that what began as a supposed “massage” at the island later escalated into sexual assault. “We ran out of there and went back to the room, stayed up all night, just like waiting for that boat to come … and get out of there,” she said, adding that she never returned.
She described years of confusion and shame that followed, saying she initially sought counseling but “couldn’t speak it out loud.” Over time, she said, she came to understand the scale of Epstein’s grooming and control, especially after learning of underage victims in Florida. That realization pushed her to speak on Capitol Hill calling for the release of the Epstein files — a moment she described as reclaiming power. “I want to take the power away from people who think they can abuse 1,200 or so girls and get away with it,” she said.
Phillips suggested that some sensitive files have not been released because they involve “big names” and “pretty dark and disturbing” material, adding that many survivors recognize names that remain redacted. Asked whether abuse could have occurred during visits to Ireland, she replied that Epstein did not travel without “a harem of girls.”
For Phillips, justice now means “transparency and accountability,” beginning with full disclosure of who is listed in the files and who enabled the abuse. “Exposing who is in the files, all the names, and also who enabled. The enablers are really the people who allowed this to continue,” she said.
If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, support is available through national helplines and specialist sexual assault services.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
