Duke ‘did not press for plea deal for Epstein’
Allegations of lobbying for financier in Maxwell case documents ‘not the same as facts’, say associates
Claims that the Duke of York lobbied the US government for a favourable plea deal for disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein were yesterday branded lies. Court documents in the US reveal that two alleged victims of Epstein’s abuse had claimed that his powerful friends, including the Duke, used their influence on his behalf. But a friend of the 60-year-old Duke said “precious few” claims against him had stood up, adding that “allegations are not the same as facts”.
‘Let’s see if these allegations stand up – because precious few about the Duke do. Where’s the proof?’
FRIENDS of the Duke of York have said allegations that he lobbied the US government to try to secure Jeffrey Epstein a “favourable” plea deal 12 years ago are “a straightforward untruth, no ifs, no buts”.
In a scathing attack after the latest release of court documents from America, one friend said “precious few” claims against the 60-year-old Duke had stood up, adding that “allegations are not the same as facts”.
Two alleged victims of the late financier claim the Duke tried to intervene to secure his former friend a so-called “sweetheart plea deal” on sex charges in 2008, the new papers show.
The women – named only as Jane Doe 1 and 2 – appealed for the release of more files that they say would prove the Duke, as well as other high profile friends of Epstein, “lobbied” for a lenient plea agreement.
In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of soliciting a minor for prostitution.
His 18-month sentence – during which he was permitted to work from his Miami home – was vastly shorter than if he had been convicted of more serious sex charges.
The court papers were released despite attempts by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and associate, to keep them secret.
They say that the two women are “seeking documents regarding Epstein’s lobbying efforts … including efforts on his behalf by Prince Andrew and former Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz”.
The women claim Epstein “used his significant social and political connections” to lobby the justice department to obtain a more favourable plea deal.”
The papers come from a now settled 2015 defamation lawsuit filed by Virginia Giuffre, 36, one of Epstein’s alleged victims, against Ms Maxwell.
Ms Giuffre has alleged the Duke was among the powerful associates of Epstein she was persuaded to have sex with when aged just 17. He has firmly denied the claims.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a friend of the Duke said: “The US Federal
Appeals court said [in] 2019 [that] these allegations should be treated with ‘extreme caution’.
“Allegations are not the same as facts, which is the essential premise on which justice works.
“Let’s see if these allegations standup, because precious few about the Duke do. Where’s the proof?”
Ms Maxwell, 58, a British socialite, had fought unsuccessfully to keep the files secret. She is being held without bail in a New York prison awaiting trial after pleading not guilty to six charges, including facilitating Epstein’s abuse of underage girls.
The papers reveal that in 2015, Ms Giuffre was seeking $30 million (£23 million) compensation from Ms Maxwell, whom she accused of having sex with girls as young as 15.
The case ended in an undisclosed settlement.
Ms Giuffre was recorded saying: “There’s so many I don’t know where you want me to start.
“There were blondes, there were brunettes, there were red heads. They were all beautiful girls.
“I would say the ages ranged be
owned, she said orgies were a “constant thing” taking place “by the pool with lots of girls”.
Elsewhere in the documents Ms Giuffre’s lawyers suggest Epstein was potentially using her to gather incriminating evidence on the Prince.
“Epstein instructed Jane Doe to give Prince Andrew whatever he demanded and required her to report back to him on the details of the sexual abuse,” the lawyers alleged. Adding: “Maxwell facilitated Epstein’s acts of sexual abuse by acting as a madam.”
Other documents suggest that Ms Maxwell lied in a bail hearing when she claimed she had not been in contact with Epstein for a decade prior to his death, aged 66, in prison last year after being charged with sex trafficking.