Who She Is
Marina Lacerda is a Brazilian immigrant who came to New York City with her family. She was 14 years old in 2002 when she was recruited into Epstein’s orbit. She had been working since she was 13 at factory jobs, waitressing, background modeling, and office work to help support her immigrant family. A friend told her she could earn \ by giving a wealthy man a massage. She is identified as ‘Minor Victim 1’ in Epstein’s 2019 federal indictment — her evidence was described as crucial to bringing those charges.
What She Says Happened
Lacerda broke her public silence for the first time at the September 2025 Capitol Hill press conference, then gave interviews to ABC News and The Guardian. She has described believing Epstein would help her as an immigrant trying to get ahead: ‘I thought being associated with the financier would open doors.’ On what followed: ‘I wasn’t expecting what led on to that day because I think with Jeffrey Epstein, it starts somewhere, but then it ends. Either you having sex with them whether you like it or not.’ The abuse continued for years until Epstein dismissed her: ‘You’re too old. I don’t want you anymore,’ she recalled him saying when she was 16 or 17. When the FBI first approached her in 2008: ‘I have to call Jeffrey. What am I going to do?’ — Epstein then hired an attorney for her, and she heard nothing further from that investigation until 2019. ‘I’m still trying to understand and grasp the fact that it is not my fault.’
What She Did About It
Lacerda was interviewed by the FBI in 2008 but her cooperation was forestalled when Epstein secured his non-prosecution agreement. The FBI returned to her in 2019; her evidence was described as crucial to Epstein’s 2019 federal indictment on sex trafficking charges. She is identified as ‘Minor Victim 1’ in that indictment. She broke her public silence in September 2025, waiving her anonymity to identify herself as Minor Victim 1. She has since given interviews to ABC News, The Guardian, and others, and was still fighting to access her own case files as of late 2025.
Timeline
- 2002: Recruited at age 14 in New York City; abuse by Epstein begins
- Circa 2004-2005: Dismissed by Epstein as ‘too old’ at 16 or 17
- 2008: Interviewed by FBI; Epstein provides her an attorney; investigation stalls
- July 2019: FBI returns; her evidence contributes to Epstein’s federal indictment as ‘Minor Victim 1’
- September 2025: Broke public silence at Capitol Hill press conference; first public appearance
- November 2025: Interview with The Guardian; still seeking access to her own case files
Sources
- ABC News: Marina Lacerda — “Minor Victim 1” in Epstein’s 2019 indictment speaks publicly for first time (2025)
- NPR: Epstein survivors join lawmakers calling for full release of government files — Capitol Hill press conference (September 2025)
- Ms. Magazine: Survivor reactions to Epstein files redactions — including Marina Lacerda (February 2026)
- DOJ SDNY: Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Minors — Epstein and Maxwell prosecution overview
- DOJ SDNY: United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell — federal sex trafficking conviction
Information compiled from public court records, news reporting, and published accounts. This page documents survivor testimony as a matter of public record.