Western Australia (Europe Brief News) – Virginia Giuffre, who accused disgraced US Financier Jeffrey Edward Epstein and Prince Andrew of sexual abuse, died by taking her own life at her farm in Western Australia. She was 41 years old and her family confirmed her death on Saturday.
Giuffre was one of the most prominent victims of convicted sex offenders Epstein and his former partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, alleging she had been groomed and sexually abused by him and his longtime associate.
Her family announced her death in a statement that she was found unresponsive at her farm in Western Australia, where she had been living for several years.
“It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia. She tragically ended her life after enduring a lifetime of sexual abuse and being a victim of sex trafficking.”
“Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors,”
the family statement said.
“In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight. Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure,”
the family statement said.
Western Australia state police said they received a report late on Friday local time that a 41-year-old woman, whose identity has not been disclosed, died at a residence in Neergabby, a rural area on Perth’s outskirts. Police said first aid was attempted to no avail and that foul play was not suspected.
Josh Schiffer, a lawyer who represents one of Epstein’s victims, said Giuffre was integral to exposing the financier. “The case wouldn’t have existed without the input, her cooperation, her bravery at the beginning, inspiring so many other people to come forward,” he told the US cable network NewsNation.
“Her loss will hopefully be a marker and almost an inspiration for people to call attention to the epidemic that is sex trafficking, that is the international sex industry. This is an issue that still persists. It changes its form all the time and it exists all around the world. This just happened to be a really prominent example,”
he said.
Sigrid McCawley, who was the lawyer of Giuffre expressed that she was “much more than a client, She was a dear friend and an incredible champion for other victims. Her courage pushed me to fight harder, and her strength was awe-inspiring,” McCawley stated. “Today, the world has lost a remarkable individual. May you rest in peace, my dear angel.”
In recent weeks, Giuffre had posted on Instagram about her struggles, including a hospitalization due kidney failure. She also posted on social media that she had just days to live after a school bus crashed into her car.
WA police later confirmed a 41-year-old woman was in a car that collided with a bus on 24 March but there were no reported injuries. It is understood Giuffre presented to a Perth hospital emergency department on 1 April.
According to reports Virginia Giuffre first met Maxwell, a British socialite, in 2000 while she was working as a locker-room assistant at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Maxwell offered her a job as massage therapist to Epstein, during which she claimed she was trafficked to the financier’s peers and clients – “moved around like a platter of fruit.”
In a 2009 civil lawsuit against Epstein, using the alias “Jane Doe 102,” she alleged that her responsibilities included being “sexually exploited by Epstein’s adult male friends, including members of royalty.” The court case between Giuffre and Epstein was settled before it could proceed to trial.
Giuffre filed a New York-based civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew at the federal court during 2021 which charged him with sexual assault against her at age 17 on three separate occasions. Andrew rejects every accusation against him with great consistency and strong denial.
The legal complaint stated that Maxwell connected Andrew to Giuffre through Epstein back in 2001 then forced Giuffre to perform sexual activities with Andrew.
Andrew Prince and Giuffre settled their dispute outside of court during 2022 without revealing the settlement details to the public. Maxwell maintains her innocence throughout her case but received a 20-year sentencing as a sex trafficking offender in 2022.
Federal agents arrested Epstein in July 2019 where he received criminal charges for sex trafficking offenses. Right after his arrest he died by suicide before his trial started.
