Virginia Giuffre has filed a civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew in New York, alleging he abused her 20 years in the past. The Duke of York has repeatedly denied any occasion ever passed off.
Right here’s what we find out about her.
Giuffre’s historical past with Epstein and Maxwell
Giuffre – then often known as Virginia Roberts – met Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite, when she was working at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago membership in 2000.
In keeping with Giuffre, Maxwell supplied her a job as a travelling masseuse to then-financier Jeffrey Epstein, and promised to coach the teenage Giuffre as a therapeutic massage therapist.
Giuffre was then allegedly groomed by Epstein and Maxwell over the course of the following two and a half years, travelling with the pair as they darted between Epstein’s luxurious estates.
The duo reportedly instructed her to have intercourse with various excessive profile figures throughout this time, together with Andrew.
She solely stopped travelling with Epstein and Maxwell once they despatched her on a solo journey to Thailand in September 2002, to attend the Worldwide Coaching Therapeutic massage Faculty, Guiffre claimed.
Maxwell supposedly instructed her to choose up a Thai lady for Epstein whereas she was there, however Guiffre alleges that she selected to chop off all contact from them whereas in Thailand as soon as she met her future husband Robert Giuffre on the market.
When did Giuffre go public together with her Epstein claims?
Giuffre lived in Australia together with her husband for 5 years after allegedly leaving Epstein and Maxwell.
She was contacted by the FBI in 2007, and filed a lawsuit as Jane Doe towards Epstein and Maxwell in 2009 alleging sexual trafficking when she was a minor.
She determined to make her abuse claims public in 2011 and brazenly mentioned her claims towards each Epstein and Andrew with the media.
She additionally included {a photograph} of herself as a youngster, with Andrew’s arm round her and Maxwell smiling within the nook of the picture.
The {photograph} has change into a serious supply of controversy, with Giuffre claiming it’s proof they met whereas Andrew’s “pals” allege the photograph is a faux. Andrew himself has additionally mentioned he has no reminiscence of the {photograph}.
There isn’t any proof to recommend the {photograph} is just not actual.
Andrew’s function because the UK’s commerce envoy got here to an finish shortly after Giuffre went public together with her claims and his affiliation with Epstein got here to mild.
She was additionally caught up in a civil case towards Maxwell in 2014 and 2015 after alleging the British socialite was Epstein’s madam. The case was settled out of court docket for an undisclosed sum in Giuffre’s favour.
Epstein was arrested and charged with intercourse trafficking and intercourse trafficking conspiracy in July 2019, however he died by suicide earlier than his trial.
On the subsequent listening to, Giuffre mentioned: “The reckoning should not finish. It should proceed. He didn’t act alone. We the victims know that.”
Giuffre’s allegations within the new civil case
Giuffre has claimed the Duke of York had intercourse together with her in London in March 2001, in Maxwell’s dwelling, after they spent the evening dancing in Tramp nightclub.
She alleged they’d intercourse once more in Manhattan and Epstein’s island, Little Saint James, within the US Virgin Islands.
Guiffre additionally claimed Andrew had intercourse together with her with out her consent within the new civil case.
She has additionally alleged that Andrew was conscious she was solely 17 on the time – he was 41 – and that she was a “sex-trafficking sufferer.”
The case added that Giuffre, now 38, was nonetheless battling the “important emotional and psychological misery and hurt” from the “excessive and outrageous conduct.”
She is looking for financial damages within the occasion Andrew is discovered liable.
Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegations, and claimed throughout his BBC Newsnight interview: “I’ve no recollection of ever assembly this woman, none in any respect.”
The place is Giuffre now?
Giuffre is now a mom of three dwelling together with her husband in Australia.
She arrange a US nonprofit in 2015 referred to as Victims Refuse Silence to help survivors of sexual abuse and to assist stop people being intercourse trafficked.
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