Activist Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein of sexual assault, has committed suicide.
Information about Giuffreʼs death was confirmed by her family, the BBC reports.
Giuffre, who was one of the victims of sexual abuse by financier Jeffrey Epstein, said she was also abused by Prince Andrew. She said she had sex with the prince at one of Epsteinʼs parties when she was 17. In the lawsuit, she alleged that she was sexually assaulted by the prince in London, New York and on Epsteinʼs private island in the Caribbean. The prince has vehemently denied all the allegations.
Family members called Giuffre a “courageous fighter against sexual violence” and added that “the burden of the abuse she endured became unbearable”. They noted that “she lost her life by suicide after a lifetime of sexual abuse and human trafficking”.
Virginia Giuffre.
According to loved ones, Virginia was “a light that supported many who were affected”. She died on April 25 at her farm in Western Australia.
Western Australian Police confirmed that they were called to a home in the Nirgebbi area on the evening of April 25, where Giuffre was found unconscious. An investigation is underway into the circumstances of the womanʼs death, but there are no suspicious circumstances.
Giuffre, who was born in the United States, lived in Australia with her children and husband Robert, although they reportedly recently separated after 22 years of marriage. She was also involved in a car accident shortly before her death.
After Giuffre came out publicly about her past, she became an active participant in the Me Too movement. She claimed to have been a victim of sexual exploitation as a teenager. According to her, in 2000 she met British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who later introduced her to financier Jeffrey Epstein, after which years of abuse by him and his entourage began.
In 2022, Giuffre and Prince Andrew reached a settlement agreement.
What is known about Epstein?
American financier Jeffrey Epstein was first arrested in 2008. He was convicted of sex with minors and organizing prostitution. After 13 months in prison, the financier made a deal with prosecutors and was released. In 2019, he was charged with new charges of human trafficking.
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation discovered thousands of names of famous people, politicians, movie stars and businessmen in Epsteinʼs notebook, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Rolling Stones frontman Tic Jagger, and billionaire Richard Branson. This triggered a series of accusations and suspicions against famous personalities that they may have used Epsteinʼs services.
Epstein was arrested on July 7, and on August 10, 2019, he committed suicide in prison. His body was found in the cell where he was serving his sentence. In December 2023, a US court ordered the release of the names of more than 170 people from Epsteinʼs inner circle.
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