Virginia Giuffre, who courageously spoke out about being sexually abused as a teenager by Jeffrey Epstein and accused Prince Andrew and other powerful men of exploitation, has died at the age of 41. Her publicist confirmed that she died by suicide on Friday at her farm in Western Australia.
“Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors,” her family said in a heartfelt statement. “Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure.”
Giuffre’s publicist, Dini von Mueffling, remembered her as “deeply loving, wise, and funny,” and said she was always concerned for others, even during her own struggles. “She adored her children and many animals,” von Mueffling said. “It was the privilege of a lifetime to represent her.”
If you or someone you know needs help, crisis support is available: In Australia, call 13 11 14. In the U.S., call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
Originally from the United States, Giuffre had lived in Australia for years and became a prominent advocate for survivors of sex trafficking. She became widely known as a central figure in the downfall of Jeffrey Epstein, the wealthy financier who died by suicide in jail in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges. Those charges came years after an initial investigation ended with a controversial plea deal that let Epstein serve just 18 months in jail for lesser state offenses.
Giuffre said she was just a teenager working as a spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago, former President Donald Trump’s Palm Beach estate, when she was approached in 2000 by Ghislaine Maxwell — Epstein’s girlfriend and later convicted accomplice. According to Giuffre, she was hired under the guise of being a masseuse but was instead groomed and coerced into becoming a sex slave for Epstein and others in his circle.
She accused several powerful men of abusing her, including Prince Andrew. Giuffre alleged she was forced to have sex with the prince on three occasions: in London when she was 17, at Epstein’s New York mansion, and in the Virgin Islands. While Prince Andrew denied the allegations, a now-famous photograph showed him with his arm around her waist at Maxwell’s London home, lending credibility to her claims.
Andrew’s public denials — including his assertion that he couldn’t sweat due to a medical condition — were widely criticized after a disastrous 2019 BBC interview. Soon after, he stepped back from his royal duties. In 2022, he reached a financial settlement with Giuffre, agreeing to pay a substantial sum to her organization for survivors. While he did not admit guilt, the court filing acknowledged that Giuffre was a victim and Epstein a known trafficker.
Giuffre pursued other lawsuits against people associated with Epstein, and while some were settled, she also retracted claims against at least one individual after expressing uncertainty about the identification.
Though her allegations were not part of the criminal case against Ghislaine Maxwell, Giuffre later provided a victim impact statement in which she described Maxwell as the person who “opened the door to hell.” Maxwell was convicted in 2021 on federal sex trafficking charges and is now serving a 20-year sentence.
Giuffre, born Virginia Roberts, had a troubled upbringing marked by early abuse and instability. She ran away from home and was later manipulated by Epstein and Maxwell. In 2002, she met her future husband while in Thailand for massage training. They later settled in Australia and started a family.
In 2015, she founded a charity called SOAR to support and advocate for trafficking survivors.
Earlier this year, her publicist said she had been hospitalized following a serious accident, though details were kept private. An Instagram post, reportedly from Giuffre, mentioned a collision involving a school bus, but her team declined to confirm the specifics.
Virginia Giuffre is survived by her three children, who her family described as the “light of her life.”
Attorney Sigrid McCawley, who represented her, paid tribute in a statement: “Her courage pushed me to fight harder, and her strength was awe-inspiring. The world has lost an amazing human being today. Rest in peace, my sweet angel.”