Carré Otis, now 58, filed a complaint in Paris alleging she was raped and trafficked by Gérald Marie, former European head of Elite Model agency, when she was 17. Her lawyer aims to encourage other victims to join the proceedings, despite statute of limitations barring prosecution for Otis's case.
Former American supermodel Carré Otis has filed a criminal complaint in Paris alleging she was raped and trafficked by Gérald Marie , the former European head of Elite Model agency.
The complaint, submitted on Friday, is a strategic move by her legal team to open a pathway for other potential victims to come forward and join the proceedings, even though Otis's own case is barred by France's statute of limitations. Her lawyer, Mathias Darmon, stated that the goal is to give other victims the courage to speak out and have their voices heard in what he described as an internationally significant case.
Otis, now 58, rose to fame in the late 1980s and early 1990s, gracing the covers of major fashion magazines such as Elle, Vogue, and Vanity Fair, and appearing in the prestigious Pirelli calendar. The allegations date back to 1986 when Otis was sent to Paris by Elite Model agency at the age of 17. According to the complaint, she was housed in Marie's apartment under the mistaken belief that he intended to support her burgeoning modeling career.
Instead, she alleges that she was raped on multiple occasions by Marie and subsequently provided to other wealthy men across Europe. Marie, a 76-year-old French national, served as the European head of Elite from 1985 to 2010, a period during which the agency dominated the modeling industry and helped launch the careers of many of the world's most famous supermodels.
He has denied the allegations, and due to France's statute of limitations, he cannot be prosecuted for the crimes Otis claims occurred nearly four decades ago. Under French law, victims who were minors at the time of alleged sexual abuse have until 30 years after reaching adulthood to file a criminal complaint, meaning they must act before the age of 48. Otis's previous complaint filed in 2021, along with several other former models, was dismissed for the same reason.
However, this new complaint is designed not to seek prosecution for the time-barred offenses but to create a legal framework under which other victims, regardless of whether their own cases are time-barred, can join as civil parties. This procedural maneuver could allow for a broader investigation into the alleged systematic abuse within the fashion industry.
In an interview with French media, Otis expressed her desire to denounce an entire system of sexual abuse of models that lasted for years, drawing parallels to the fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein case. The fashion industry has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years over allegations of exploitation and misconduct, and Otis's case highlights the challenges victims encounter when seeking justice long after the events occurred.
Her lawyer emphasized that the complaint is a symbolic act intended to shed light on the broader patterns of abuse and to empower other survivors to come forward without fear of legal barriers. The case also raises questions about the responsibility of modeling agencies to protect young talent and the mechanisms that allow powerful figures to evade accountability.
As the legal process unfolds, Otis hopes that her courage will inspire others to break their silence and that the global fashion community will confront its dark past. The Paris court will now consider whether to accept the complaint and potentially open a formal investigation into the allegations, which could involve testimony from other accusers.
Meanwhile, Marie continues to deny any wrongdoing, and his legal team has not yet commented on the latest filing
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Former supermodel Carré Otis files Paris rape complaint against ex-Elite bossFormer supermodel Carré Otis has filed a complaint in Paris against Gérald Marie, alleging rape and trafficking.
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Former supermodel Carré Otis files Paris rape complaint against ex-Elite bossFormer supermodel Carré Otis has filed a complaint in Paris against Gérald Marie, alleging rape and trafficking.
Read more »
Former supermodel Carré Otis files Paris rape complaint against ex-Elite bossFormer supermodel Carré Otis has filed a complaint in Paris against Gérald Marie, alleging rape and trafficking.
Read more »
Former supermodel Carré Otis files Paris rape complaint against ex-Elite bossFormer supermodel Carré Otis has filed a complaint in Paris against Gérald Marie, alleging rape and trafficking.
Read more »