Virginia Giuffre was plagued by fears that her enemies were trying to smear her reputation in the months before she died, The Mail on Sunday has learned.
The suicide of the woman who accused Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse came after her troubles overwhelmed her. In the end, a rancorous divorce and ongoing separation from her three children, who remain in their father’s custody, appeared to have finally tipped Ms Giuffre over the edge.
She was found dead at her farm near Perth, Australia, on Friday night.
Ms Giuffre had accused the Duke of York of sexually assaulting her when she was 17 after she was trafficked to London. It led to him ‘stepping back’ from public life in 2019. He has always vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Ms Giuffre launched a civil lawsuit, alleging she was coerced into having sex with him.
In 2022 the Duke agreed an out-of-court settlement – thought to be between £3 million and £12 million – despite denying he sexually abused her.
