The decision of the American justice was at least expected. The lawyers of the British prince Andrew did not obtain from the judge of the federal court of Manhattan the dismissal of a civil complaint for “sexual assault”, filed in New York by Virginia Giuffre for facts dating back to 2001, while she was still a minor.
In his decision, Judge Lewis Kaplan considers that the request to dismiss this civil complaint, filed in the summer of 2021 by Virginia Giuffre, one of the victims of the sex crimes of American financier Jeffrey Epstein, must be “rejected in all respects”. In the fall, he said that if a trial were to take place, it could be held “between September and December” 2022.
In her complaint, the accuser claims that the prince “sexually assaulted” three times in 2001 when she was just 17 and called Virginia Roberts. The facts would have taken place in London, New York and the American Virgin Islands, in residences of the couple formed by the American multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein and the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, both friends of Prince Andrew.
Jet-setter Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide in Manhattan jail in August 2019, shortly before his sex crimes trial. His partner and accomplice for three decades, Ghislaine Maxwell, 60, has been in prison since the summer of 2020. She was found guilty last week in New York of sex trafficking teenage girls for the benefit of Jeffrey Epstein and faces dozens of costs. years of imprisonment.
Photos attest to their proximity
The prince’s lawyers have done everything for almost six months to block the complaint of Virginia Giuffre – who seeks financial compensation -, arguing that she is legally ” unfounded “.
The prince, 61, who is not criminally prosecuted, denies his side “categorically” assaulting Virginia Roberts and even claims not to remember this young girl.
Yet a number of widely circulated photos attest to the closeness between Andrew, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Virginia Giuffre, including a snap from 2000 showing the American financier, British socialite and the prince on a hunting trip in eastern ‘England. Another photo shows Andrew and Virginia Giuffre hugging each other, all smiles, with Ghislaine Maxwell in the background.
On a civil level, the prince’s lawyers relied on an agreement sealed in 2009 between Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre, also an alleged victim of the jet-setter.
Monday, January 3, the New York judges made public this settlement, hitherto confidential, under which Virginia Giuffre had received $ 500,000 from Jeffrey Epstein. And, according to this transaction signed in Florida twelve years ago, Virginia Giuffre undertook not to prosecute either Jeffrey Epstein or“other potential defendants” in his surroundings.
Prince Andrew not ‘covered’ by deal
The Duke of York’s name or title is not mentioned in this contract document, but Andrew’s defense believes that he protects Jeffrey Epstein and all those close to him, and therefore the prince.
On the contrary, Virginia Giuffre’s lawyers retort that Andrew is not ” covered “ by this agreement which “don’t quote it” and which “He didn’t even know” in 2009.
On December 31, the Manhattan judge had rejected another request for nullity formulated by Andrew, on the grounds that Virginia Giuffre could not file a complaint in the United States because she “resides” in Australia.
The decision of the American justice was at least expected. The lawyers of the British prince Andrew did not obtain from the judge of the federal court of Manhattan the dismissal of a civil complaint for “sexual assault”, filed in New York by Virginia Giuffre for facts dating back to 2001, while she was still a minor.
In his decision, Judge Lewis Kaplan considers that the request to dismiss this civil complaint, filed in the summer of 2021 by Virginia Giuffre, one of the victims of the sex crimes of American financier Jeffrey Epstein, must be “rejected in all respects”. In the fall, he said that if a trial were to take place, it could be held “between September and December” 2022.
In her complaint, the accuser claims that the prince “sexually assaulted” three times in 2001 when she was just 17 and called Virginia Roberts. The facts would have taken place in London, New York and the American Virgin Islands, in residences of the couple formed by the American multimillionaire Jeffrey Epstein and the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, both friends of Prince Andrew.
Jet-setter Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide in Manhattan jail in August 2019, shortly before his sex crimes trial. His partner and accomplice for three decades, Ghislaine Maxwell, 60, has been in prison since the summer of 2020. She was found guilty last week in New York of sex trafficking teenage girls for the benefit of Jeffrey Epstein and faces dozens of costs. years of imprisonment.
Photos attest to their proximity
The prince’s lawyers have done everything for almost six months to block the complaint of Virginia Giuffre – who seeks financial compensation -, arguing that she is legally ” unfounded “.
The prince, 61, who is not criminally prosecuted, denies his side “categorically” assaulting Virginia Roberts and even claims not to remember this young girl.
Yet a number of widely circulated photos attest to the closeness between Andrew, Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and Virginia Giuffre, including a snap from 2000 showing the American financier, British socialite and the prince on a hunting trip in eastern ‘England. Another photo shows Andrew and Virginia Giuffre hugging each other, all smiles, with Ghislaine Maxwell in the background.
On a civil level, the prince’s lawyers relied on an agreement sealed in 2009 between Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre, also an alleged victim of the jet-setter.
Monday, January 3, the New York judges made public this settlement, hitherto confidential, under which Virginia Giuffre had received $ 500,000 from Jeffrey Epstein. And, according to this transaction signed in Florida twelve years ago, Virginia Giuffre undertook not to prosecute either Jeffrey Epstein or“other potential defendants” in his surroundings.
Prince Andrew not ‘covered’ by deal
The Duke of York’s name or title is not mentioned in this contract document, but Andrew’s defense believes that he protects Jeffrey Epstein and all those close to him, and therefore the prince.
On the contrary, Virginia Giuffre’s lawyers retort that Andrew is not ” covered “ by this agreement which “don’t quote it” and which “He didn’t even know” in 2009.
On December 31, the Manhattan judge had rejected another request for nullity formulated by Andrew, on the grounds that Virginia Giuffre could not file a complaint in the United States because she “resides” in Australia.