Accused Jeffrey Epstein urges Prince Andrew to be 'straightforward'

A woman who accused Jeffrey Epstein of sex harassment and accused her of being forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17 had urged her to "be frank".

Speaking after a trial for alleged victims after Epstein's death, Virginia Giuffre told reporters the prince "knew what he was doing".

The Duke of York has previously denied this claim.

A coroner ruled Epstein committed suicide this month while awaiting trial about sex trafficking and allegations of conspiracy.

The 66-year-old tycoon - who once thought President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew - was found unresponsive in his jail cell on August 10.

About 15 plaintiffs were given the opportunity to speak at a New York City court hearing which ended a criminal case - which is now closed due to Epstein's death.


The women spoke of their anger, saying Epstein had deceived justice by taking his own life.

Prosecutors say the investigation is ongoing and the indictment can still be filed against fellow conspirators.

SEX slaves

Ms Giuffre, 35, accused him of being forced to have sex three times with Prince Andrew, whom he denied.

He accused Epstein of guarding him as a "sex slave". In court on Tuesday, he said: "My hopes were quickly dashed and my dreams were stolen."



Giuffre told the court deposition that he was 15 years old who worked at the Mar-a-Lago golf resort in Florida when he was approached by British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell to give a massage to Epstein.

When asked comments about Prince Andrew during the press conference after the trial, Ms Giuffre said: "He knows what he is doing and he can prove it. He knows exactly what he is doing and I hope he is forthright about it."

The Prince has said it was "a mistake and a mistake" to see Epstein after being released from prison, and that he had never seen or suspected criminal behavior.

OTHER CUSTOMERS

Courtney Wild, who accused Epstein of sexual harassment when he was 14 years old, told the court on Tuesday: "I feel very angry and sad. Justice has never been served in this case."

Ms Wild, who said she was recruited to become an Epstein masseur on her private plane nicknamed "Lolita Express", called her a "coward" who was able to "manipulate our justice system".

Jennifer Araoz, who said Epstein raped her at her home in New York when she was 15 years old, told the court: "She robbed my dream, my chance to pursue a career that I loved.

"The fact that I will never have the opportunity to face my predator in court undermines me. They let this person commit suicide and kill the opportunity for justice for so many others."

Another woman, Chauntae Davies, told the court: "I will not let her win in death."

Davies said he was raped by Epstein on his private island after being hired to give him a massage.

Another woman, who chose to keep her name, held back tears when she told the court: "We need to know how she died. It felt like a completely new trauma. It felt bad to wake up that morning and find that she was suspected of suicide."

A number of accusers have filed lawsuits against Epstein's land. Two days before his death, he signed a will which distributed his assets of $ 577 million (Sh57.7 billion) to the trust fund.

DEATH EPSTEIN

Judge Richard Berman, who scheduled the trial, began on Tuesday observing that the case had taken "a rather surprising event".

Reid Weingarten, a lawyer for Epstein, asked the judge to examine the state of his client's death.

Investors died of "suicide by hanging" in the Metropolitan Correctional Center