Jeffrey Epstein accuser sues Prince Andrew citing sex assault at 17

By Larry Neumeister August 10, 2021 â€" 8.06amNormal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text size

New York: One of Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accusers has sued Prince Andrew, saying he sexually assaulted her when she was 17.

Lawyers for Virginia Giuffre filed the lawsuit in Manhattan federal court on Monday afternoon (Tuesday AEST).

In a statement, Giuffre said the lawsuit was brought under the Child Victims Act to allege she was trafficked to him and sexually abused by him.

“I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me”: Virginia Roberts Giuffre.Credit:AP

“I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me,” she said.

“The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but to reclaim one’s life by speaking out and demanding justice.

“I did not come to this decision lightly,” she added. “As a mother and a wife, my family comes first â€" and I know that this action will subject me to further attacks by Prince Andrew and his surrogates â€" but I knew if I did not pursue this action, I would be letting them and victims everywhere down.”

Jeffrey Epstein.Credit:AP

In late 2019, Prince Andrew told BBC Newsnight that he never had sex with Giuffre, saying, “It didn’t happen.”

He said he has “no recollection” of ever meeting her and told an interviewer there are “a number of things that are wrong” about Giuffre’s account, which alleges the encounter occurred in 2001.

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“I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened,” Andrew said.

According to the lawsuit, the prince abused Giuffre on multiple occasions when she was under the age of 18.

Prince Andrew during the BBC interview when he answered questions about his relationship with Jeffery Epstein.

It said that on one occasion, the prince sexually abused her in London at the home of Ghislaine Maxwell when Epstein, Maxwell and Prince Andrew forced her to have sexual intercourse with the prince against her will.

On another occasion, Prince Andrew sexually abused Giuffre in Epstein’s New York mansion, the lawsuit claimed.

In the document, Giuffre detailed allegations that she was forced to have sexual relations with Andrew “on separate occasions”.

Prince Andrew pictured with one of his accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, in 2001 at the home of Ghislaine Maxwell (right) in London.

“During each of the aforementioned incidents, Plaintiff was compelled by express or implied threats by Epstein, Maxwell, and/or Prince Andrew to engage in sexual acts with Prince Andrew, and feared death or physical injury to herself or another and other repercussions for disobeying Epstein, Maxwell, and Prince Andrew due to their powerful connections, wealth, and authority.”

Giuffre, in the filing, also said she was flown “nationally and internationally numerous times” when under the age of 18.

“After years of abuse,” Epstein sent Giuffre to Thailand in September 2002 with one of her “assignments” to “bring a young girl back to Epstein in the United States”.

“Fearing for her life, and not wanting to subject another young girl to the abuse she was forced to endure, Plaintiff fled from Thailand to Australia to escape from Epstein.”

Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking charges in Manhattan federal court, where she faces trial in November.

Epstein, 66, took his own life in a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019, a month after he was arrested on sex trafficking charges.

Tactics

The lawsuit details the alleged strategies of manipulation used against the victims in which Maxwell, or another female recruiter would strike up conversation with a girl to learn about their background and key vulnerabilities.

“Epstein’s recruiters found their targets everywhere and anywhere, including schools, spas, trailer parks, and the street.“

The recruiter would invite the girl back to one of Epstein’s homes by offering her something she needed.

“Once abused, Epstein and Maxwell continued to manipulate their victims, using their financial power, promises, and threats to ensure that the victim returned as directed and remained compliant with their demands.“

Epstein and his lawyers would gather information about victims to use against them if they disobeyed, the case claims.

AP with The Age and Sydney Morning Herald

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