Virginia Giuffre – who accused Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew of sexually exploiting her as a teenager – has been described as a “fierce warrior” by her family.
The campaigner died by suicide aged 41 at her farm in Neergabby, Western Australia. Paying tribute to the mum of three, her family said she was “the light that lifted so many survivors” since she became the one of the earliest and loudest voices calling for criminal charges against Epstein and his enablers.
The wealthy financier, 66, hanged himself in a New York jail in August 2019 while being held on sex trafficking charges. The Duke of York, 65, denies having sex with Virginia, provided critical information to law enforcement, which contributed to the investigation into and later the conviction of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell. She is currently in a “rat-infested” prison following her 20-year jail term handed out in 2021.
Reflecting on Giuffre’s campaigning, her family said in full: “It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia. She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and 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. In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight.”
Her brother, Danny Wilson, told NBC News she “pushed so hard to snuff the evil out” of the world. He said: “Her biggest push was, ‘If I don’t do this, nobody’s going to do it. She was in real physical pain — suffered from renal failure. But I think that the mental pain was worse.”
Virginia, raised in Florida, was trafficked by Epstein as a teen. The abuse lasted three years from 1999 to 2003. He was eventually found unresponsive in his jail cell in New York more than 15 years later.
Speaking yesterday, the campaigner’s publicist Dini von Mueffling said in a statement: “Deeply loving, wise and funny, she was a beacon to other survivors and victims. She adored her children and many animals. She was always more concerned with me than with herself. I will miss her beyond words. It was the privilege of a lifetime to represent her.”
Police confirmed emergency services received reports of an unresponsive woman at a property in the Perth suburb of Neergabby on Friday night.
“Police and St John Western Australia attended and provided emergency first aid. Sadly, the 41-year-old woman was declared deceased at the scene. The death is being investigated by Major Crime detectives; early indication is the death is not suspicious,” a police spokeswoman said.
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