The latest development in the legal case against Ghislaine Maxwell has resulted in the emergence of new court documents elucidating allegations made by Virginia Giuffre against Prince Andrew.
These papers are part of Ms. Giuffre’s defamation suit filed against Maxwell and they contain information on financial transactions and alleged encounters between Ms. Giuffre and the royal.
Background
Virginia Giuffre, who is one of the main accusers in the Jeffrey Epstein case, claimed in court documents that she was paid for sexual activities with Prince Andrew by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when she was 17 years old.
They were lodged as legal papers on May 1, 2015, and settled two years later as part of Ms. Giuffre’s case against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s ex-girlfriend and an associate.
Financial Transactions and Prince Andrew’s Denials:
During deposition, Ms. Giuffre was asked about a payment she had received for her meetings with Prince Andrew.
“Did you ever get paid any money by or on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein of 10 to $15,000 for sleeping with him?” “So, Mr. Epstein did pay you $15K?” “Yes, I did receive $15K at one point.”
“And I’m sorry I don’t know what equivalent that is to pounds. And it is American dollar currency.” Notably, she also stated that she did not pay taxes on the money.
It should be noted that Prince Andrew has always maintained his innocence. He denies these allegations made by Meghan Markle.
In a past interview with BBC Newsnight, her first encounter with Prince Andrew happened at Ghislaine Maxwell’s London home when she was 17.
Ghislaine Maxwell’s Legal Situation:
Currently Ghislaine Maxwell is serving a twenty-year prison sentence after being found guilty of involvement in sex trafficking alongside Epstein.
His guilt she has denied all along until now even though he committed suicide while awaiting his trial on federal conspiracy and sexual trafficking charges in 2019 as a disgraced financier.
Ms. Giuffre’s Allegations and Prince Andrew’s Response:
Between 1999 and 2002, among Ms. Giuffre’s statements, she alleges that she was raped by Prince Andrew three times.
During the recently released deposition, she also mentioned an unidentified visit to a club with Prince Andrew where he ordered drinks containing alcohol.
Prince Andrew faced public backlash in 2019 after a controversial BBC television interview where he defended his friendship with Epstein.
In February 2022, he stepped down from royal duties and reached a settlement with Ms. Giuffre regarding a civil case filed against him in the US in which she claimed he sexually assaulted her when she was seventeen.
Royal Fallout and Stripped Titles
As a result of this scandal, Queen Elizabeth II stripped her son Prince Andrew of his honorary military titles and patronages thus effectively ending his royal life in late 2019.
In spite of this legal settlement, however, Prince Andrew maintains no such thing ever happened sexually between them even though there had been some “sexual contact” between them when Virginia Giuffre was still young.
Jeffrey Epstein’s High-Profile Connections:
Prior to coming under legal fire, Jeffrey Epstein had; been known to just hang out with celebrities from Wall Street as well as royalty like royalty itself.
This association became public after he pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.
Epstein died awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges in 2019 putting an end to highly publicized litigation that could take years or continue indefinitely.
In conclusion, the release of these court documents adds new dimensions to the ongoing legal saga surrounding Prince Andrew, Ghislaine Maxwell and Epstein case.
While legal proceedings continue, many are waiting for further information and possible revelations that may impact on the lives of those involved.
