Epstein invited ‘The Duke’ to meet Russian woman
News SyndicationEmails suggest that the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein invited a man believed to be Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to have dinner with a 26-year-old Russian woman.
The latest batch of documents released by the US Department of Justice relating to Epstein shows emails signed “A”, with a signature that appears to read “HRH Duke of York KG”.
The emails were exchanged in August 2010, two years after Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor.
The messages are likely to put further pressure on Mountbatten-Windsor, who has faced years of scrutiny over his past friendship with Epstein.
BBC News has approached Mountbatten-Windsor for comment. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
The emails between Epstein and an account named “The Duke” on 11 and 12 August 2010 suggest that the American wanted to introduce “A” to a 26-year-old Russian woman, whom Epstein suggests he “might enjoy having dinner with”.
He says that the woman would be in London in August 2010.
“The Duke” replies that he would be in Geneva “until the morning of the 22nd but would be delighted to see her” before asking: “Will she be bringing a message from you? Please give her my contact details to get in touch.”
He asks Epstein whether there is “any other information you might know about her that might be useful to know?”
Epstein replies that “she [is] 26, russian, clevere [sic] beautiful, trustworthy and yes she has your email”.
Epstein was convicted in 2008 of soliciting sex from a 14-year-old girl in Florida and completed his sentence in July 2010, a month before the email exchange. The BBC has not been able to independently verify the emails.
Also among the latest tranche of documents is an email exchange dated 27 September 2010 between Epstein and the account titled “The Duke”.
Epstein writes that he is in London, adding: “What time woudl [sic] you like me and [redacted], we will also need/ have private time”.
“The Duke” replies: “I am just departing Scotland should be down by 1800. I’ll ring you when I get down if you can give me a number to ring. Alternatively we could have dinner at Buckingham Palace and lots of privacy. A”.
Epstein replies: “bp pleease [sic].”
The emails do not indicate any wrongdoing. The BBC has contacted Mountbatten-Windsor for a response.
Another document, from 2020, is a formal request for assistance from US authorities asking to interview the former prince as they believed that “Prince Andrew may have been a witness to and/or participant in certain events of relevance to the ongoing investigation”.
They said documentary evidence “has revealed information suggesting that Prince Andrew had knowledge that Maxwell recruited females to engage in sex acts with Epstein and other men” and “there is evidence that Prince Andrew engaged in sexual conduct involving one of Epstein’s victims”.
The letter also said: “Prince Andrew is not presently a target of the investigation, and US authorities have not, to date, gathered evidence that he has committed any crime under US law.”
Mountbatten-Windsor has repeatedly denied all wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, and said he did not “see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction”.
He has faced allegations, which he repeatedly denied, that he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre as a teenager after she said she was trafficked by Epstein.
He paid a financial settlement to Giuffre, who he claims to have never met, to settle a civil sexual assault claim in 2022.
EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockSome emails which appear to have been between Sarah Ferguson and Epstein have also been found in the latest release.
One email dated 4 April 2009 – signed “Love, Sarah, The red Head.!!” – read: “Hello Jeffrey. I am landing in Palm Beach in a couple of hours. Is there any chance on my quick layover, that I can get to have a quick cup of tea…”
The email goes on to discuss ideas for Ferguson’s company, Mother’s Army. The former Duchess of York refers to Epstein as “My dear spectacular and special friend Jeffrey. You are a legend, and I am so proud of you.”
The financier was still under house arrest when the email exchange was sent.
In another exchange in August 2009, Ferguson emails Epstein again to discuss “my Sarah Ferguson Brand” and thanks the billionaire “for being the brother I have always wished for”.
The emails do not indicate any wrongdoing. The BBC has contacted Ferguson for a response.
The newly released email exchanges form part of more than three million pages of documents made public on Friday by the US justice department.
More than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images are included in the latest batch. Their release comes six weeks after a deadline mandated in a law signed by President Donald Trump.
Many of the documents are heavily redacted, with some files showing pages which are entirely blacked-out.
