Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent abuse survivors, who alleged she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew, has died by suicide at her farm in Western Australia.
She was 41 years old.
Giuffre was recently hospitalized, claiming she had kidney failure following a collision with a bus. At the time, she posted on Instagram that she had been given four days to live, writing: “I’m ready to go, just not until I see my babies one last time.”
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She later admitted that the claim about being near death was false, and she was quietly discharged from the hospital. She then accused her estranged husband, Robert Giuffre—a former martial arts instructor—of domestic violence, stating in an interview with People magazine that she had been unable to escape abuse in her marriage until recently.
She said she had reported an assault in Dunsborough, a coastal town in Western Australia, on Jan. 9, 2025, though People was unable to obtain an official incident report. Robert Giuffre’s attorney declined to comment, citing ongoing court proceedings.
Giuffre’s family confirmed her death on Friday, describing her in a statement to NBC News as a “lifelong fighter” who could “no longer carry the weight” of the trauma she endured.
Giuffre was born in California but her family moved to Palm Beach County, Florida, where Giuffre got a job working as a spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago, before being recruited by Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein under the pretense of working as a masseuse for the billionaire financier.
Giuffre alleged she was forced into sexual encounters with Epstein’s powerful associates, including Prince Andrew. Although Andrew denied any wrongdoing, he settled her civil lawsuit in 2022 for an undisclosed amount, rumored to be around $14 million, and was forced to give up his royal role.
After relocating to Australia with her husband and three children, Giuffre continued to advocate for survivors of sexual abuse. She also testified against Epstein associate Jean-Luc Brunel in France, shortly before his death by suicide while awaiting trial.
In the 2020 documentary Surviving Jeffrey Epstein, Giuffre spoke openly about her physical and emotional pain and urged the public to “take us seriously.”
Despite persistent attacks on her character, she remained steadfast in her efforts to expose systemic abuse.
Her family remembered her as “a fierce warrior” in a statement obtained by NBC.
Their statement read: “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. Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure.”
The family said that her three children—Christian, Noah, and Emily—were “the light of her life.”
They said Virginia found her resolve to fight back against her abusers when she first held her newborn daughter.
Police confirmed receiving reports of an unresponsive woman at a property in the Perth suburb of Neergabby on Friday night. A spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: “Police and St John Western Australia attended and provided emergency first aid. Sadly, the 41-year-old woman was declared deceased at the scene.”
After receiving her multi-million-dollar settlement from Prince Andrew in 2022, Giuffre moved with her family to a beachfront property in Western Australia. Her accusations against Andrew—supported by a widely circulated photograph showing him with his arm around her waist, with Maxwell in the background—led to the prince’s retreat from public royal life after a disastrous BBC interview, during which he infamously claimed he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the day Giuffre alleged they met, and that he was unable to sweat due to a medical condition.
Giuffre had accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her three times: In London during a 2001 trip; at Epstein’s New York mansion when she was 17; and in the Virgin Islands when she was 18.
Giuffre’s brother, Danny Wilson, told NBC News that she fought tirelessly against injustice: “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.”
Giuffre’s lawyer, Sigrid McCawley, described her client as a “dear friend and an incredible champion for other victims.”
Her representative, Dini von Mueffling, added: “Virginia was one of the most extraordinary human beings I have ever had the honor to know.”
McCawley said: “Her courage pushed me to fight harder, and her strength was awe-inspiring.”
Prince Andrew has yet to make a statement.
If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.
