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| Ruslana Korshunova |
Ruslana Korshunova was only 20 years old when she fell from the balcony of her 9th-floor apartment in New York City.
A successful model with a face that had graced the covers of Vogue and starred in international campaigns, Ruslana had visited Jeffrey Epstein’s private island, only to die under mysterious circumstances not long after.
The media called it suicide. But friends said she wasn’t suicidal at all. Some believe it was an accident. Others think it was something much darker. A secret self-help cult, Epstein’s shadowy network, and whispers of the Russian mafia all circle her story like vultures.
She was young, beautiful, and at the top of her career. But in her final months, Ruslana changed. Her behavior, her mood, even her words. So what really happened to her?
Background and Family
Born on July 2, 1987, in Alma-Ata (now Almaty), Kazakhstan, Ruslana was of Russian descent. Her father, Sergey Korshunov, served in the Red Army but died in 1992 when she was just five years old.
Raised primarily by her mother, Valentina Kutenkova, Ruslana excelled in school, learned Russian, English, Kazakh, and German, and was considered an exceptionally bright student.
Ruslana Korshunova’s Height
Ruslana Korshunova stood at 5'9" (175 cm).
How Ruslana Korshunova Was Discovered and Began Her Modeling Career
In 2003, while still a teenager, a photograph of Ruslana was published in an in-flight magazine article about her efforts to learn German. This image caught the eye of Debbie Jones from Models 1, a London-based agency.
At the age of 15, Ruslana was plucked from her native Kazakhstan and signed by Models 1. Her striking “fairy-tale” features and long, flowing hair earned her the nickname “Russian Rapunzel.”
Despite her mother’s initial hesitations, mandating supervision and forbidding any provocative shoots, she soon embraced a path that led her to the catwalks of New York and the covers of Vogue and Elle.
Meteoric Rise in the Fashion World
Within a couple of years, Ruslana became one of the standout faces in international fashion. She appeared in campaigns for Marc Jacobs, DKNY, Vera Wang, Nina Ricci (including iconic perfume ads), Donna Karan, and Christian Dior, and graced the covers of magazines such as Russian Vogue, French Elle, and even the New York Times Style Magazine.
Her portfolio included work with photographers like Mario Sorrenti, Paolo Roversi, and Willy Van Der Perre. British Vogue and other publications celebrated her as “a face to be excited about.”
By 2005–2006, she was a regular presence on international runways. Despite earning a lucrative income (reportedly around $7,000 per shoot), the industry’s pressures and the fleeting nature of modeling success began to take their toll.
Personal Aspirations
Beyond the catwalks, Ruslana dreamed of higher education and a more stable life. With ambitions of studying, she hoped to eventually enroll in university and become an economist, even as she navigated the challenges of an industry known for its harsh demands.
Relationships and Emotional Turmoil
Ruslana’s personal life was as public as her career, she had relationships with wealthy men and tycoons, yet many of these relationships ended painfully. Her boyfriend, Artem Perchenok, mentioned that she “bottled up” her problems and took out her frustrations on herself after failed gigs or relationships.
A breakup with a Russian tycoon reportedly shattered her emotionally, intensifying the pressures already inherent in the modeling world. Friends recalled that despite the glamour and success, she often felt isolated and overwhelmed by rapid changes.
Struggles Within an Intense Industry
The rapid ascent to international fame came at a steep personal cost. Models, often taken from their home countries at very young ages, face exploitation, intense body image pressure, and isolation in competitive cities like New York.
Ruslana’s case was not isolated, the fashion industry has repeatedly come under scrutiny for its role in fueling eating disorders, depression, and emotional breakdowns among its young stars.
Ruslana Korshunova and Jeffrey Epstein’s Island
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| Ruslana Korshunova and Jeffrey Epstein |
Court documents revealed that at the age of 18, on June 7, 2006, Ruslana boarded Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous Boeing 727, dubbed the “Lolita Express”, from New York.
She was not alone, Epstein’s assistant Sarah Kellen, his bodyguard Igor Zinoviev, chef Lance Calloway, and at least one other woman were on the flight as well.
Epstein, notorious for exploiting underage girls on his private Little St. James island in the U.S. Virgin Islands, later became central to high-profile investigations. Though the precise nature of Ruslana’s interactions with Epstein remains unclear, her presence on the flight has fueled speculation about the potential impact of that encounter on her fragile mental state.
Involvement with Rose of the World
As her modeling career began to stagnate and personal issues mounted, Ruslana turned to a controversial self-help group known as Rose of the World, which operated in Russia. This group was often described as a cult, a modern-day version of Lifespring, where members were encouraged to share their darkest experiences and repressed memories.
Reports indicate that Ruslana participated in training sessions for several months. Critics of the group claimed it employed “dehumanizing” methods and heavy psychological pressure, which some believe contributed to her emotional decline.
Similar Tragic Cases
Around the same time, another model and friend, Anastasia Drozdova, also involved with the cult, later committed suicide under similar circumstances in Kyiv in 2009.
Members of the cult later downplayed the events, arguing that the models’ struggles stemmed from the industry or personal issues rather than the cult’s influence. However, testimonies from insiders described intense mood swings, weight loss, and emotional instability among participants, including Ruslana.
The Circumstances and Theories of Her Death
On June 28, 2008, at 2:30 p.m., the 20-year-old Ruslana was found dead beneath her ninth-floor apartment on Water Street in Manhattan’s Financial District.
Witnesses described hearing a sharp “bang” upon impact; some compared it to a gunshot or a drum thwack. Notably, her body was found approximately 8.6 to 9 meters away from the base of her building, raising questions about the mechanics of the fall.
Police Investigation and Inconsistencies
Authorities immediately ruled her death a suicide, police reports noted no signs of struggle, no evidence of drugs or alcohol, and no suicide note was found.
However, several details have spurred ongoing controversy
Some witnesses and building staff remarked that her body did not fall directly beneath her balcony, suggesting the possibility of an alternate jumping point or even foul play.
The concierge reported that Ruslana’s hair, once a trademark of her “Russian Rapunzel” image, appeared hastily cut and in poor condition, which some speculate might have been manipulated to serve as a distraction or cover-up.
Testimonies from friends and colleagues painted a contradictory picture: while some recalled her being “on top of the world” just hours before her death, others pointed to alarming social media posts in which she expressed deep despair.
Alternative Theories and Rumors:
Some close to Ruslana have speculated that her death might not have been a suicide at all. Rumors have circulated that she was pushed, perhaps linked to financial disputes (such as a $500,000 loss of earnings allegedly withheld by her agency) or even involvement with darker underworld elements like the Russian mafia.
Her mother, Valentina, has adamantly rejected the suicide verdict, arguing that Ruslana’s condition and the evidence, such as the location of the body and the condition of her hair, suggest foul play.
The lack of surveillance footage and the absence of a comprehensive investigation have fueled further suspicions and conspiracy theories.