Prince Andrew accuser’s Epstein deal released
Prince Andrew’s sexual assault accuser agreed not to sue “other potential defendants” related to Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged sex crimes, a once-confidential document released Monday showed.
The agreement unveiled by a New York court shows that Virginia Giuffre settled her lawsuit against the late disgraced money manager Epstein for $500,000 in 2009.
The settlement, which does not mention Andrew directly, contains a provision that claims to protect “other potential defendants” from being sued related to Epstein’s alleged sex crimes.
It says Giuffre will “remise, release, acquit, satisfy, and forever discharge the said Second Parties and any other person or entity who could have been included as a potential defendant (‘Other Potential Defendants’) from all, and all manner of, action and actions.”
Andrew’s lawyers have cited this stipulation in their arguments that Giuffre’s lawsuit against Queen Elizabeth’s second son should be dismissed.
They hope it will be sufficient grounds for a judge to throw out her lawsuit against the royal during oral arguments in the case on Tuesday.
Giuffre alleges that Epstein, who killed himself while awaiting trial in 2019, lent her out for sex with his wealthy and powerful associates, including Andrew.
She has sued the British royal for unspecified damages, alleging he sexually assaulted her in 2001 when she was 17 and a minor under American law.
The 61-year-old Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II’s second son, has not been criminally charged and has repeatedly and strenuously denied the allegations.
Source: AFP