Virginia Giuffre, the American-born woman who accused Britain’s Prince Andrew and several other prominent men of sexually exploiting her as a teenager trafficked by financier Jeffrey Epstein, has died by suicide at the age of 41. Her death occurred on Friday at her farm in Western Australia, confirmed by her publicist, Dini von Mueffling.

Ms Giuffre was widely recognised for her advocacy on behalf of sex trafficking survivors, becoming a central figure in the long-running scandal surrounding Epstein. Epstein, a wealthy New York financier, took his own life in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges in the United States. These charges, brought nearly 14 years after police in Palm Beach, Florida, first began their investigation, related to the sexual abuse of dozens of teenage girls and young women, some as young as 14.

Giuffre publicly came forward following Epstein’s initial investigation, which ended in a controversial plea deal in 2009. Epstein pleaded guilty to lesser state-level charges, resulting in an 18-month jail sentence, a deal that bypassed federal prosecution. Ms Giuffre alleged that during her time as a teenage masseuse at Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach club owned by former President Donald Trump, she was recruited in 2000 by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s girlfriend and associate. According to Giuffre, Maxwell hired her ostensibly for massage work but coerced her into sex trafficking, involving Epstein and his high-profile associates.

Ms Giuffre claimed she was forced into sexual encounters with Epstein and others, including Prince Andrew, during her late teenage years. She said she was flown worldwide for such purposes, listing the locations of encounters—including London, New York, and the Virgin Islands. Prince Andrew has categorically denied these allegations and stated he did not recall meeting Ms Giuffre. However, evidence such as photographs and witness testimony has supported significant elements of her claims. A notable image shows Prince Andrew with his arm around Ms Giuffre’s bare midriff in Maxwell’s London residence.

The claims brought considerable public scrutiny to Prince Andrew, especially after a 2019 BBC interview which was poorly received and saw the prince stepping down from royal duties shortly after. In 2022, Prince Andrew settled with Ms Giuffre for an undisclosed sum, agreeing also to make a substantial donation to her survivors’ organisation. Court documents acknowledged Epstein as a sex trafficker and Giuffre as a victim of abuse.

Ms Giuffre also pursued lawsuits against Epstein and others connected to him, though some claims were later withdrawn, including an allegation involving a prominent U.S. attorney. Epstein’s death ended the possibility of his criminal trial, but his associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 on charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy, receiving a 20-year prison sentence. Maxwell denied responsibility for Epstein’s abuses during her trial.

Giuffre, born Virginia Roberts, shared that her early life was marked by sexual abuse during childhood by a family acquaintance, leading to further trauma. She later met her now-husband in 2002, during massage training in Thailand arranged by Epstein. She relocated to Australia, where she married and started a family. In 2015, she established the advocacy charity SOAR to support survivors of sexual exploitation.

Last month, Ms Giuffre was hospitalised following a serious accident. Although details about the incident were not disclosed, an Instagram post suggested she had been involved in a collision involving a school bus and indicated a dire prognosis, but this was not independently confirmed.

Ms Giuffre’s publicist described her as “deeply loving, wise and funny,” and “a beacon to other survivors and victims,” noting her devotion to her children and 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,” von Mueffling said.

This development adds a tragic chapter to a story that has spanned over two decades, involving high-profile individuals and exposing the dark realities of sex trafficking and abuse. The Independent is reporting on this story.

Source: Noah Wire Services