Hugh Hefner alerted FBI about Epstein; alleged rape victim, Playboy Playmate, contacted 15 years later: Report
According to new claims, Audra Lynn Christiansen, former Playboy Playmate was abused, raped and trafficked by late Jeffrey Epstein. Allegedly Hefner contacted the FBI ‘multiple times’ on her behalf.
New details have emerged about Jeffrey Epstein, as reports suggest that Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who died in 2017, personally alerted the FBI in 2005 about Epstein. Reportedly, Epstein had abused a former Playboy Playmate. However, it is claimed that the bureau did not follow up with the woman who was allegedly raped and trafficked until almost 15 years later.
New allegations against Epstein by Hugh Hefner
The claim has been highlighted by Miami Herald journalist Julie K. Brown in her Substack this week. The allegations are said to be a part of an amended complaint filed in May in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida by 32 Epstein victims.
According to the details in a lawsuit, Audra Lynn Christiansen, Miss October 2003, approached Hefner in 2005, alleging that Jeffrey Epstein had abused and trafficked her. She reportedly asked Hefner when she was 23 to contact the FBI on her behalf, believing that agents would take the allegations more seriously if they came from someone like him. It is claimed that Hefner contacted the FBI “multiple times” on her behalf.
Christiansen stated that she was trafficked to one of Hefner's wealthy associates, Macau casino billionaire Stanley Ho, who died in 2020. According to the filing, she asked Hefner to report the allegations as he had the “clout” to bring authorities' attention.
The lawsuit further alleged that the FBI failed to act on multiple reports concerning Epstein and his sexual abuse, which date back to 1996.
According to the complaint, “Mr. Hefner called the FBI multiple times on behalf of Ms. Christiansen to report Jeffrey Epstein.” Christiansen, now 46, was reportedly contacted by the FBI in October 2020, after Epstein's death, to follow up on the 15-year-old complaint.
The lawsuit includes a 2020 FBI report of a call, in which Christiansen said that she was introduced to Epstein by her agents. She added that Epstein wanted to meet her after her Playboy shoot was published.
Christiansen later appeared on the reality television series The Girls Next Door. She also featured in Playboy's 2003 “Playmate data sheet”, where she described her ideal partner as “a secure older man who makes me laugh”.
The filing also mentions Stanley Ho, whom Epstein reportedly described in a 2011 email as “the richest man in Hong Kong” and claimed “owns most of Macau”. For the unversed, Ho was one of the most prominent figures in Macau's casino industry.
Meanwhile, the FBI sought to have the lawsuit dismissed in June, arguing that the agency was “not required to investigate every complaint” it received. The case remains before the court.
The FBI has not yet publicly addressed Hefner's alleged reports about Epstein.
The latest disclosure arrives amid growing scrutiny over how the FBI and Department of Justice handled cases linked to Epstein who continues to face multiple allegations including his alleged sex trafficking operation that exploited and abused minor girls.
About the Author
Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.
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