The 41-year-old’s family issued a statement, confirming she took her own life at her farm in Western Australia.
Virginia Giuffre – who accused Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew of sexual abuse – has died by suicide at the age of 41, her family has said.
Giuffre was one of the most prominent victims of convicted sex offenders Epstein and his former partner, Ghislaine Maxwell. She claimed they trafficked her to the Duke of York when she was 17 – an allegation Prince Andrew has consistently denied.
Her family said she died on Friday in Western Australia, where she had been living for several years.
“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 said in a statement. “Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure.”
Police in Western Australia said they were called to a property in Neergabby – a rural area on the outskirts of Perth – late on Friday. They confirmed the death of a 41-year-old woman, who was not named, and said attempts to revive her were unsuccessful. No foul play is suspected.
Giuffre, who was born in the United States, had been living with her husband Robert and their children in the suburb of North Perth. However, recent reports suggested the couple had separated after 22 years of marriage.
Three weeks ago, Giuffre posted on Instagram saying she had been seriously injured in a car accident. Her family later said she had not intended for the post to become public, while local police disputed the severity of the incident.
Court documents released in 2019 suggest Giuffre met Ghislaine Maxwell in the early 2000s while allegedly working as a spa attendant at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Between 2000 and 2002, she spent time with Epstein and Maxwell – travelling between Epstein’s homes in Palm Beach and Manhattan – and making visits to his ranch in New Mexico and private island, Little Saint James.
Around this time, Giuffre allegedly met Prince Andrew. In March 2001, the now-infamous photo was taken of her standing next to Andrew, with his arm around her bare midriff, in Maxwell’s London townhouse.
Giuffre was among the earliest voices calling for Epstein’s criminal prosecution. He was eventually charged with sex trafficking in July 2019, and authorities say he died by suicide weeks later in his New York prison cell.
Ghislaine Maxwell was found guilty of aiding Epstein’s abuse of teenage girls and is currently serving a 20-year sentence at a Florida prison.
In 2022, Giuffre settled a civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew, reportedly worth $12m, without any admission of liability from the prince, who has consistently denied the allegations.
US President Donald Trump pledged to release all documents relating to Epstein’s case, including names of powerful associates. The first batch of files was made public in February but contained no major revelations. Trump, himself, has been named as an associate of Epstein.
Following her public accusations, Giuffre became a prominent campaigner and a central voice in the Me Too movement.