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| Prince Andrew: 'Underage sex' allegations are categorically untrue, says Buckingham Palace | |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| The Royal Family was pulled into an international sex scandal after a woman claimed to have been repeatedly abused by Prince Andrew while held as a “slave” to wealthy men. | The Royal Family was pulled into an international sex scandal after a woman claimed to have been repeatedly abused by Prince Andrew while held as a “slave” to wealthy men. |
| Buckingham Palace dismissed as “categorically untrue” the allegations made in US legal documents that the fifth in line to the throne had sex with a teenage girl in London, New York and at an orgy in the US Virgin Islands attended by underage girls. | Buckingham Palace dismissed as “categorically untrue” the allegations made in US legal documents that the fifth in line to the throne had sex with a teenage girl in London, New York and at an orgy in the US Virgin Islands attended by underage girls. |
| The claims were made in court documents filed as part of legal action by a group of women who said they were abused by Jeffrey Epstein, a financier and former friend of the Prince, who was convicted of soliciting sex with an underage girl in 2008. Reports suggested the woman was aged 17 at the time of the alleged incidents with Prince Andrew, which would make her below the age of consent in Florida. | The claims were made in court documents filed as part of legal action by a group of women who said they were abused by Jeffrey Epstein, a financier and former friend of the Prince, who was convicted of soliciting sex with an underage girl in 2008. Reports suggested the woman was aged 17 at the time of the alleged incidents with Prince Andrew, which would make her below the age of consent in Florida. |
| The papers said she was invited to Epstein’s Florida mansion as a 15-year-old before becoming his “sex slave” from 1999 to 2002. She claims she was then passed around “politically connected and financially powerful people” that included the Prince. She claims that she was lent out so that Epstein could ingratiate himself for “business, personal, political and financial gain as well as to obtain potential blackmail information”. | The papers said she was invited to Epstein’s Florida mansion as a 15-year-old before becoming his “sex slave” from 1999 to 2002. She claims she was then passed around “politically connected and financially powerful people” that included the Prince. She claims that she was lent out so that Epstein could ingratiate himself for “business, personal, political and financial gain as well as to obtain potential blackmail information”. |
| The woman claimed Epstein told her to give Prince Andrew whatever he wanted and report back to him on the details, according to the papers. | The woman claimed Epstein told her to give Prince Andrew whatever he wanted and report back to him on the details, according to the papers. |
| She also claims she was offered for sexual purposes to presidents, a well-known prime minister, American politicians and other world leaders, according to documents. | She also claims she was offered for sexual purposes to presidents, a well-known prime minister, American politicians and other world leaders, according to documents. |
| Buckingham Palace said: “This relates to long-standing and ongoing civil proceedings in the United States, to which the Duke of York is not a party. As such we would not comment on the detail. | Buckingham Palace said: “This relates to long-standing and ongoing civil proceedings in the United States, to which the Duke of York is not a party. As such we would not comment on the detail. |
| “However, for the avoidance of doubt, any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue.” | “However, for the avoidance of doubt, any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue.” |
| Prince Andrew is not a named party in the legal action, and has not had any opportunity to respond to the allegations. He has denied sexual contact with young women associated with Epstein or knowing about his behaviour, according to reports. | Prince Andrew is not a named party in the legal action, and has not had any opportunity to respond to the allegations. He has denied sexual contact with young women associated with Epstein or knowing about his behaviour, according to reports. |
| The woman claims in the court filings she was approached by Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter Robert Maxwell, who persuaded her to go to Epstein’s mansion. | The woman claims in the court filings she was approached by Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter Robert Maxwell, who persuaded her to go to Epstein’s mansion. |
| The papers claimed she then “facilitated Prince Andrew’s acts of sexual abuse by acting as a ‘madame’ for Epstein thereby assisting in internationally trafficking Jane Doe #3 [the name given to the woman in the papers] (and numerous other young girls) for sexual purposes”. | The papers claimed she then “facilitated Prince Andrew’s acts of sexual abuse by acting as a ‘madame’ for Epstein thereby assisting in internationally trafficking Jane Doe #3 [the name given to the woman in the papers] (and numerous other young girls) for sexual purposes”. |
| Last night Ms Maxwell strongly denied any wrongdoing, issuing a statement saying: ‘‘The allegations are untrue. The original allegations are not new and have been fully responded to and shown to be untrue.’’ | Last night Ms Maxwell strongly denied any wrongdoing, issuing a statement saying: ‘‘The allegations are untrue. The original allegations are not new and have been fully responded to and shown to be untrue.’’ |
| The papers also named the prominent Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz of abusing Ms Doe and other girls. He told The Guardian he never met her, did not know the woman and never had sex with an underage person. “This person has made this up out of cloth, maliciously and knowingly in order to extort money from Mr Epstein.” | The papers also named the prominent Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz of abusing Ms Doe and other girls. He told The Guardian he never met her, did not know the woman and never had sex with an underage person. “This person has made this up out of cloth, maliciously and knowingly in order to extort money from Mr Epstein.” |
| The friendship between Prince Andrew and Epstein has long been controversial. He was seen with the financier following Epstein’s release from prison after serving 13 months of an 18-month jail sentence. | The friendship between Prince Andrew and Epstein has long been controversial. He was seen with the financier following Epstein’s release from prison after serving 13 months of an 18-month jail sentence. |
| Jeffrey Epstein: the financier | Jeffrey Epstein: the financier |
| The son of a Brooklyn parks department worker, Epstein excelled at mathematics. While working as a Manhattan tutor, he was spotted by the chairman of the merchant bank Bear Stearns and propelled into a career in Wall Street’s wealthiest ranks. After setting up his own investment house, which reportedly only accepted billionaires as clients, Epstein emerged as a jet-setting power player. His philanthropy brought him into contact with physicists and presidents alike. In 2008, he was convicted of soliciting an underage prostitute under Florida state law after a lengthy police investigation. No federal charges were ever brought against him. | The son of a Brooklyn parks department worker, Epstein excelled at mathematics. While working as a Manhattan tutor, he was spotted by the chairman of the merchant bank Bear Stearns and propelled into a career in Wall Street’s wealthiest ranks. After setting up his own investment house, which reportedly only accepted billionaires as clients, Epstein emerged as a jet-setting power player. His philanthropy brought him into contact with physicists and presidents alike. In 2008, he was convicted of soliciting an underage prostitute under Florida state law after a lengthy police investigation. No federal charges were ever brought against him. |
| Jane Doe 3 – the teenager | Jane Doe 3 – the teenager |
| Epstein’s alleged victim, who claims she was compelled to have sexual contact with Prince Andrew, was 15 when she was first asked to attend the financier’s Florida mansion in 1999, according to the court documents. It is alleged that the teenager, whose name has been changed, was asked to give Epstein a massage which was turned by the millionaire and his British assistant, Ghislaine Maxwell, into a sexual encounter. | Epstein’s alleged victim, who claims she was compelled to have sexual contact with Prince Andrew, was 15 when she was first asked to attend the financier’s Florida mansion in 1999, according to the court documents. It is alleged that the teenager, whose name has been changed, was asked to give Epstein a massage which was turned by the millionaire and his British assistant, Ghislaine Maxwell, into a sexual encounter. |
| For the next three years, it is claimed that the girl followed Epstein around his homes as a “sex slave” and was abused by him at multiple locations, including his private aircraft. | For the next three years, it is claimed that the girl followed Epstein around his homes as a “sex slave” and was abused by him at multiple locations, including his private aircraft. |
| Her alleged sexual encounters with Prince Andrew happened when she was 17. | Her alleged sexual encounters with Prince Andrew happened when she was 17. |
| The teenager eventually managed to “escape” to an unnamed country where she was able to “hide out from Epstein and his co-conspirators for years”, according to the documents. | The teenager eventually managed to “escape” to an unnamed country where she was able to “hide out from Epstein and his co-conspirators for years”, according to the documents. |
| Ghislaine Maxwell – the press baron’s daughter | Ghislaine Maxwell – the press baron’s daughter |
| The youngest daughter of the late press baron Robert Maxwell, she moved to the US after her father’s death in 1991. She became prominent among the top echelons of the New York social scene and befriended Jeffrey Epstein. | The youngest daughter of the late press baron Robert Maxwell, she moved to the US after her father’s death in 1991. She became prominent among the top echelons of the New York social scene and befriended Jeffrey Epstein. |
| In the court papers, the woman known as Jane Doe 3 says that Ms Maxwell introduced her to Epstein and that she had links to other powerful individuals, including Prince Andrew. Ms Maxwell has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing and last night she said: ‘‘The allegations are untrue.’’ | In the court papers, the woman known as Jane Doe 3 says that Ms Maxwell introduced her to Epstein and that she had links to other powerful individuals, including Prince Andrew. Ms Maxwell has always strenuously denied any wrongdoing and last night she said: ‘‘The allegations are untrue.’’ |
| Ms Maxwell, a keen deep-sea diver, is the founder and head of a project designed to promote the protection of the oceans. | Ms Maxwell, a keen deep-sea diver, is the founder and head of a project designed to promote the protection of the oceans. |
| Alan Dershowitz – the professor | Alan Dershowitz – the professor |
| The former Harvard law professor is a well-known liberal political commentator who has handled a series of controversial high-profile cases during a stellar legal career. He has strenuously denied knowing the teenage girl who claimed he had sexual relations with her and has accused her of making up the claims to get money out of Epstein. | The former Harvard law professor is a well-known liberal political commentator who has handled a series of controversial high-profile cases during a stellar legal career. He has strenuously denied knowing the teenage girl who claimed he had sexual relations with her and has accused her of making up the claims to get money out of Epstein. |
| He said that he was planning to file a complaint against the two lawyers who drew up the statement, saying that they had not adequately vetted the story. He retired from Harvard in 2013 after a formidable career in the law and as a commentator. | He said that he was planning to file a complaint against the two lawyers who drew up the statement, saying that they had not adequately vetted the story. He retired from Harvard in 2013 after a formidable career in the law and as a commentator. |
| Jean-Luc Brunel – the model scout | Jean-Luc Brunel – the model scout |
| The owner of a modelling agency, Brunel is cited as a “regular travelling companion” of Epstein and a “model scout … for many years”. | The owner of a modelling agency, Brunel is cited as a “regular travelling companion” of Epstein and a “model scout … for many years”. |
| The complaint alleges that Brunel obtained visas for models. He could not be reached for comment last night. | The complaint alleges that Brunel obtained visas for models. He could not be reached for comment last night. |