The lawsuit Jean-Luc Brunel & MC2 Model & Talent Miami LLC v. Jeffrey Epstein, Tyler McDonald & Yi.org never reached trial. It was tossed on purely procedural grounds in 2019, and the plaintiffs did not try again before both principal parties died.
Initial filing and early delays (2015-2018)
Brunel and his Miami agency sued in January 2015, alleging that media linkage to Epstein's criminal conduct wrecked their business. Epstein successfully quashed the first attempt at personal service. After repeated extensions, the court ordered plaintiffs to complete service within 120 days or face dismissal.1
Plaintiffs served an office employee in the Virgin Islands rather than Epstein at his residence on Little St. James. Epstein objected, arguing Florida's substitute-service rules were unmet.2
Trial-court ruling for Brunel, immediate appeal
In September 2018 a Miami-Dade circuit judge ruled service valid and ordered Epstein to answer the complaint. Epstein took an interlocutory appeal.3
On April 24 2019 Florida's Third District Court of Appeal reversed, finding plaintiffs failed to strictly comply with service requirements and directing dismissal without prejudice.45
The panel noted plaintiffs never attempted service at Epstein's island home, where a process server could have proceeded to the front door.6 Because the dismissal was without prejudice, Brunel and MC2 were free to refile but would have needed proper service and to restart litigation.