By Jennifer Peltz and Hallie Golden | Related Press
The girl who accused Britain’s Prince Andrew and different influential males of sexually exploiting her as a young person trafficked by financier Jeffrey Epstein has died. She was 41.
Virginia Giuffre died by suicide Friday at her farm in Western Australia, her publicist confirmed.
“Deeply loving, wise and funny, she was a beacon to other survivors and victims,” publicist Dini von Mueffling mentioned in a press release. “She adored her children and many animals. She was always more concerned with me than with herself. I will miss her beyond words. It was the privilege of a lifetime to represent her.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story consists of dialogue of suicide. For those who or somebody you understand wants assist, the nationwide suicide and disaster lifeline in Australia is accessible by calling 13 11 14. Within the U.S., it’s out there by calling or texting 988. There may be additionally a web-based chat at 988lifeline.org
The American-born Giuffre, who lived in Australia for years, turned an advocate for intercourse trafficking survivors after rising as a central determine in Epstein’s extended downfall.
The rich, well-connected New York cash supervisor killed himself in August 2019 whereas awaiting trial on U.S. federal intercourse trafficking costs involving dozens of teenage ladies and younger girls, some as younger as 14. The costs got here 14 years after police in Palm Seaside, Florida, first started investigating allegations that he sexually abused underage ladies who had been employed to present him massages.
Giuffre got here ahead publicly after the preliminary investigation led to an 18-month Florida jail time period for Epstein, who made a secret deal to keep away from federal prosecution by pleading responsible as a substitute to comparatively minor state-level costs of soliciting prostitution. He was launched in 2009.
In subsequent lawsuits, Giuffre mentioned she was a teenage spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago — President Donald Trump’s Palm Seaside membership — when she was approached in 2000 by Epstein’s girlfriend and later worker, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Giuffre mentioned Maxwell employed her as a masseuse for Epstein, however the couple successfully made her a sexual servant, pressuring her into gratifying not solely Epstein however his associates and associates. Giuffre she was flown around the globe for assignations with males together with Prince Andrew whereas she was 17 and 18.
The boys denied it and assailed Giuffre’s credibility. She acknowledged altering some key particulars of her account, together with the age at which she first met Epstein.
However many elements of her story had been supported by paperwork, witness testimony and photographs — together with one in every of her and Andrew, along with his his arm round her naked midriff, in Maxwell’s London townhouse.Giuffre mentioned in one in every of her lawsuits that she had intercourse with the royal thrice: in London throughout her 2001 journey, at Epstein’s New York mansion when she was 17 and within the Virgin Islands when she was 18.
Andrew categorically rejected Giuffre’s allegations and mentioned he didn’t recall having met her.
His denials blew up in his face throughout a November 2019 BBC interview. Viewers noticed a prince who proffered curious rebuttals — corresponding to disputing Giuffre’s recollection of sweaty dancing by saying he was medically incapable of perspiring — and confirmed no empathy for the ladies who mentioned Epstein abused them.
Inside days of the interview, Andrew stepped down from his royal duties. He settled with Giuffre in 2022 for an undisclosed sum, agreeing to make a “substantial donation” to her survivors’ group. An announcement filed in courtroom mentioned that the prince acknowledged Epstein was a intercourse trafficker and Giuffre “an established victim of abuse.”
She additionally filed, and in no less than some circumstances settled, lawsuits in opposition to Epstein and others linked to him. In a single case, she dropped her claims in opposition to a outstanding U.S. lawyer, saying she may need erred in figuring out him as one of many males to whom Epstein provided her.
Epstein’s suicide put an finish to his accusers’ hopes of holding him criminally accountable.
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 on federal intercourse trafficking and conspiracy costs and was sentenced to twenty years in jail. She mentioned mentioned she wasn’t accountable for Epstein’s abuse.
Prosecutors elected to not embrace Giuffre’s allegations within the Maxwell case, however Giuffre later informed the courtroom that the British socialite had “opened the door to hell.”
Giuffre, born Virginia Roberts, informed interviewers that her childhood was shattered when she was sexually abused as a grade-schooler by a person her household knew. She later ran away from house and endured extra abuse, she mentioned.
She mentioned she met her now-husband in 2002 whereas taking therapeutic massage coaching in Thailand at Epstein’s behest. She married, moved to Australia and had a household.
Giuffre based an advocacy charity, SOAR, in 2015.
Giuffre was hospitalized after a severe accident, her publicist mentioned final month. She didn’t reply questions concerning the date, location, nature or different specifics of the accident and concerning the accuracy of an Instagram submit that appeared to return from Giuffre on Sunday. The submit mentioned she had been in a automobile that was hit by a college bus and her prognosis was dire.
The AP doesn’t establish individuals who say they had been victims of sexual assault until they’ve come ahead publicly.
