Amanda Ungaro, the Brazilian ex-model and former partner of Trump ally Paolo Zampolli, has publicly directed a string of escalating threats at First Lady Melania Trump, vowing to 'tear down the corrupt system' and threatening legal action — all in the hours before Mrs Trump made a surprise unscheduled statement at the White House denying any ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Ungaro's posts on X, directed at the First Lady's archived official account @FLOTUS45, drew immediate reaction on social media and reignited scrutiny over the overlapping threads of Epstein, elite modelling networks and immigration enforcement.
'I have nothing left to lose in my life,' Ungaro wrote in one post. 'I will tear down the entire system — be careful with me b**.' In a follow-up, she added: 'I will tear down your corrupt system, even if it's the last thing I do in my life. I will go all the way — I am not afraid.' She also posted: 'Maybe you should be afraid of what I know... of who you are, and who your husband is.'
Who Is Amanda Ungaro?
Born in Londrina, in southern Brazil, Ungaro moved to the United States in 2002 at the age of 17. She has said she was brought to New York on Jeffrey Epstein's 'Lolita Express' from Paris the previous year; she has identified her agent at the time as Jean-Luc Brunel, who later faced charges in France related to the exploitation of minors and died in custody in 2022. Her relocation placed her within a social and professional network that would later come under significant public and legal scrutiny.
She went on to spend over two decades in the US, living between Manhattan and Palm Beach. Under the first Trump administration, Ungaro held a ceremonial role as Grenada's ambassador to the United Nations, focused on post-15th agenda matters and the blue economy. She and Zampolli were part of the Trump social orbit for years, attending the 2017 presidential inauguration, where they sat at Melania's table during dinner.
A 20-Year Claim and a Public Confrontation
Central to Ungaro's posts is a claim of long personal familiarity with the First Lady. In her messages on X, she stated she had 'known you for 20 years,' alleging the First Lady was present in her life annually, including for her son's birthday, and that Secret Service agents had been sent to congratulate the child as far back as 2016. These claims have not been independently verified, and Melania Trump's office has stated the First Lady has 'no knowledge of, nor involvement in, the personal affairs' of Zampolli and Ungaro.
The timing of Ungaro's posts — published on 9 April, the day before Mrs Trump's White House address — drew immediate attention online. Across social media, users drew a direct line between Ungaro's statements and Melania Trump's rare and unscheduled remarks. However, there is no verified evidence from major outlets confirming that Ungaro influenced the First Lady's decision to speak. During her address, Mrs Trump firmly denied ever being Epstein's victim, denied that he had introduced her to her husband, and said she had never travelled on his aircraft or visited his private island.
Deportation, Custody, and ICE
Ungaro's confrontation with the First Lady comes against the backdrop of a deeply personal and legally contested period in her life. She was arrested in Miami in June 2025 on fraud-related charges tied to a medical spa business, to which she pleaded not guilty. What followed drew national attention. According to a New York Times investigation based on records and sources with knowledge of the communications, Zampolli reached out to David Venturella, a top ICE official, telling him that Ungaro was in the country illegally and that her immigration detention would help him gain custody of their child. Venturella promptly called ICE's Miami field office to arrange for agents to pick up Ungaro before she could be released on bail.
Zampolli denied requesting Ungaro's detention or seeking any favours, saying he had only asked about the process. The Department of Homeland Security stated that Ungaro was detained and deported because her visa had long expired and she faced fraud charges, adding that any suggestion she was removed for political reasons was 'FALSE.' When Ungaro learnt of Zampolli's alleged contact with federal authorities, she told The New York Times: 'It's devastating that they could have affected what happened to me.'
Zampolli, Brunel, and the Epstein Connection
Zampolli's name adds a further dimension to the story. He is widely known for introducing President Donald Trump to his wife, Melania, and currently works as the US special representative for global partnerships. His name appears in the Jeffrey Epstein files — records documenting the disgraced financier's associates and contacts. Zampolli told The New York Times he did not have a close relationship with Epstein.
Ungaro has alleged in public statements that she flew on Epstein's plane at the age of 16, while in Paris the year before her move to the United States, describing it as the beginning of what she called a 'nightmare.' These claims are unverified in court proceedings.
The collision of Ungaro's personal allegations, her deportation, Zampolli's admitted contact with ICE, and Melania Trump's surprise Epstein denial — all within days of each other — has turned what might have been a private custody dispute into a story touching on political access, immigration enforcement and the lingering shadow of the Epstein scandal.
