She and her sister Bella Hadid were mentioned in emails that Jeffrey Epstein sent in December 2015 to a person whose identity was redacted in documents released by the Department of Justice. A fan wrote to her on Instagram: "I had to stop following you because you weren't speaking about the documents, Gigi." She responded to this: "It's awful to read someone you've never met speak about you like that, especially in this context." She added that she hadn't spoken out earlier because she didn't want to diminish the importance of his victims' stories, but that this comment made her realize it might not have been clear. She further stated that she grew up privileged, but that her parents protected her and taught her the value of hard work. "The same hard work that brought them to this country and enabled their careers," she wrote. Among other things, she mentioned that in 2012 she signed a contract with the modeling agency IMG Models and has been working since then. "To be mentioned in those documents, I think I was 20 - 21 years old at the time he wrote that email, is unsettling and I want to unequivocally state that I have never had any association with that disgusting human being," she said. She thanked her fans for their support.