Published: 09:33 BST, 29 August 2026 | Updated: 09:33 BST, 29 August 2026
When Iranian-American actress Jewell Farshad received a DM from Iranian football star Ramin Rezaeian during the World Cup this summer, she initially thought little of it.
After all the actress, fresh off starring as Penelope in season three of Euphoria and boasting more than one million followers on Instagram, is accustomed to fellow celebrities reaching out.
The messages began as friendly before becoming flirtatious, but soon took a more disturbing turn, Jewell says, when the footballer began demanding explicit content and pressuring her to join him on a trip where he asked her to bring other women.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, the Los Angeles-based actress and former Miss California detailed her exchanges with Rezaeian.
She described how he allegedly invited her to party with him in what she said felt like an 'Epstein-esque' situation when she realised he was with others, including the son of a prominent IRGC official.
Jewell says she first received a message from Rezaeian in late June, while Iran was still competing in the World Cup.
At first, their exchange was innocuous. She told him she hoped the team would win, he thanked her, and their messages were sporadic, sometimes with hours or days between replies.
'One day, I received a message from Ramin saying, "Where do you live? You're so sexy?",' Jewell says.
'I didn't think much of it because, in the beginning, I just thought our conversation was simply about the Iranian team,' she says. 'So when he started flirting with me, I just thought, "Okay, that is a nice compliment".'
Jewell says she first received a message from Rezaeian in late June, while Iran was still competing in the World Cup
Jewell, left, starred in season three of Euphoria alongside Rosalia, centre, and Zendaya, right
Jewell played stripper Penelope in the American young adult drama series
The actress is accustomed to fellow celebrities reaching out
Ramin Rezaeian, who scored his Iran's first goal during the World Cup this year
