Stacey Williams, the former model who made shocking allegations against Donald on Wednesday, was a prominent figure in the iconic Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editions during the 1990s. Williams, who joined Tyra Banks on a panel at the Woodstock Film Festival earlier this week, accused Trump of groping her.
The incident happened after they were introduced by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the 1990s. Born in Dallas, Pennsylvania in 1968, Williams began her modeling career in the late 1980s, quickly rising to fame in the industry and collaborating with top fashion brands and renowned photographers. The allegations come as a shock with just days left for the US presidential election.
Groping Sports Illustrated Star
Williams' collaborations with Sports Illustrated cemented her status as one of the leading swimsuit models of her era, featuring alongside other iconic names like Tyra Banks, Christie Brinkley, Heidi Klum, and Rebecca Romijn.
Standing at 6 feet tall, Williams made her Sports Illustrated debut in 1992 and appeared for six consecutive years, quickly becoming a fan favorite until 1998.
She made a comeback in 2004 for the 40th-anniversary edition as part of Sports Illustrated's Hall of Fame.
In 2013, the magazine honored her once again by including her in a special issue celebrating the 50 Greatest Swimsuit Models, marking her eighth appearance and praising her as "one of Swimsuit's most unforgettable models."
Ranked a respectable 19th among the 50 top beauties, Williams' modeling career unfolded during an era when supermodels were achieving global fame, but she opted for a more understated approach.
Known for her versatility, Williams' natural beauty allowed her to excel in both high-fashion campaigns and more relatable commercial work. Though she maintained a lower profile compared to other supermodels of her time, she remained a recognizable figure in the fashion modeling world.
An Alternate Career
Outside of the modeling world, Williams took on small roles in several films, including "The Dogwalker" (1996), and had a minor part in "Jerry Maguire" (1999). However, her acting career didn't match the same level of success as her modeling achievements.
Despite her prominent modeling career, Williams has largely kept her personal life private.
As the fashion industry evolved in the 2000s, she gradually stepped away from the spotlight, making room for new talent while focusing more on her private life.
According to her IMDb profile, Williams is married to Evan Strauss, with whom she shares a child. The couple bought a mansion in Los Angeles around the year 2000.
Her profile also includes some fun trivia, such as her appearance on a Moosehead Beer poster in 1996. It also mentions that she practices yoga and dreams of opening her own studio one day.
At the height of her fame in 1992, Williams, then 24, claimed she met Trump at a party after being introduced by the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, whom she had previously dated.
Epstein, who was convicted of sexual crimes and died by suicide in prison in 2019, reportedly made an unplanned visit to Trump's New York office with Williams. During this visit, she alleged, Trump pulled her toward him and began groping her.
Now 56, Williams recalls Trump placing his hands on her breasts, waist, and buttocks, leaving her paralyzed with shock, while noticing both men exchanging smiles.
A spokesperson for Trump's campaign has dismissed these allegations as a "fabricated" story.
Williams also shared a postcard Trump sent her agent in 1993, a year after the incident. The card featured Trump's Florida mansion and included a handwritten note: "Stacey – Your home away from home. Love, Donald."
