A young model I represent replied to an offer for photo testing by Alan Meeks on Models.com. He claims to be a scout for elite, which is not true. He told this 14 year old girl and her mother that he had a large photo studio and a huge mansion and there would be hair and make up artists.
They drove to Alabama to shoot with him, and when they met up, he told them that his mansion and studio were being renovated and checked them into a sleazy motel for two nights.
The photo shoots happened at the hotel and at a local park. For the photos taken indoors, he photographed the 14 year old in stripper-like bikinis and leather gloves. Her mother was suspicious, but he convinced them that the agencies needed to see her body and these were the right kind of photos.
Outside, he mom would sit on a bench, casually watching and reading. When the photographer was out of hearing, he said extremely sexual things to the model. He asked her how big her lips were. She said, "Well, you can see them" and he replied "No, your other lips". He caused her to break down in tears, using power games and telling her she may not make it as a model, she didn't have what it takes, etc.
At the end of the day, he told her that he was having a pajama party with the Victoria's Secret models - that Alessandra Ambrossio and Adriana Lima would be there, and she could come but only if she didn't bring her mother.
Alan Meeks used all the classic child sex abuse techniques to take advantage of this young girl, feed off of her dreams, break her down and manipulate her. Her mother said absolutely not to the sleep over. The girl believed she would now never be a model and cried all the way home.
The young girl felt so guilty about the things he has said to her, she was afriad to tell her mother.
Soon, Meeks began contacting her through IM. Luckily, her mother and grandmother were overseeing the conversation. Meeks told the girl that she needed to watch porn so she could learn to be sexy, but not to tell her mother or she wouldn't be able to be a model. Finally, the girl told her mother everything else that he had said to her over the weekend and she reached out for help.
Other girls have worked with Meeks and have not had a problem, this is the way predators often work. He saw an opportunity with this very young and very beautiful girl. She and her mother were brand new to the industry and thought they had done their homework.
Elite Models has written an apology and attests that Meeks is in no way associated with or endorsed by the agency.
Meeks has been banned from Models.com and Model Mayhem, but still operates on MySpace.
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