An email which appears to have been sent from Ghislaine Maxwell seemingly confirms the infamous photo of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse, is real.
Andrew, formerly Prince Andrew, has come under scrutiny over his ties to Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting his sex-trafficking trial.
The former Duke of York has faced allegations, which he strenuously denies, that he sexually assaulted a teenage Giuffre after she was trafficked by Epstein.
He later paid millions to Giuffre, who died by suicide in April 2025, a woman he claims never to have met, to settle a civil sexual assault claim in 2022.
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Andrew has previously questioned whether the picture of him and Giuffre had been doctored, but a message titled 'DRAFT STATEMENT' sent by a 'G Maxwell' to 'J Jep' in 2015, which was released as part of the latest batch of Epstein files last week (30 January), appears to confirm the authenticity of the infamous photo taken at Maxwell's Mayfair home in 2001.
Drafting a statement responding to the growing allegations in the press, Maxwell, who is currently serving 20 years behind bars, began: "The allegations made against me by [REDACTED] are lies. I have consistently stated that they are untrue and I have waited for an opportunity to prove this in a court of law.
"[REDACTED] nor has she ever sworn to the truth of the allegations she makes. She is engaged in a campaign of media harassment with the objective of selling her memoirs to the highest bidder. The salacious claims she makes are untrue and made purely for financial gain."
The statement continued: "The relentless media harassment to which I, Alan Dershowitz and Prince Andrew have been subjected to over the last week has become intolerable and breaches any justifiable sense of natural justice. I am therefore left with no choice but to refer both the harassment and the unfair and untrue allegations to the press complaints commission with immediate effect.
"I have never been engaged in any sexual conduct, as is alleged by [REDACTED]. I have never abused anyone, let alone a child and I find such conduct repugnant. I find the allegations offensive and deeply hurtful."
Maxwell went on: "I met [REDACTED] when she was working at the Mar-A-Largo Country Club. I understood that she was at least 18 and was a masseuse not least because of her talking about her 67 year old girlfriend.
"Mr Epstein was at that time looking for a part-time masseuse. I asked if she would be interested in applying for the job and she was. She subsequently came to Mr Epstein's house with her mother and brother. [REDACTED] was interviewed by Mr Epstein. I was not present as I remained with her mother chatting until the interview concluded."
She claimed: "I did not go upstairs with [REDACTED]. I did not take my clothes off and her allegations are a tissue of lies. I have never ever asked anyone to have sex with Mr Epstein and have never ever witnessed anyone having sex with him.
"[REDACTED] had an interview with Mr Epstein and then left with her mother. Nothing untoward happened.
"Thereafter I do not recall seeing [REDACTED] for a considerable period of time after that. I did not always accompany Mr Epstein when he travelled which was usually to do with his work. When I was in Palm Beach he was often not there."
The statement went on: "In 1999 [REDACTED] began to travel with Mr Epstein as his masseuse. I had no dealings with [REDACTED] as she was employed by Mr Epstein. I saw her from time to time and at no time did she ever make any allegation or suggestion of any sexual contact between her and Mr Epstein."
Assuming the individual whose name is redacted is Virginia Giuffre, Maxwell appeared to confirm the authenticity of the photo of her with Prince Andrew, continuing: "In 2001 I was in London when [REDACTED] met a number of friends of mine including Prince Andrew. A photograph was taken as I imagine she wanted to show it to friends and family.
"I never asked [REDACTED] to give him a massage."
In an infamous 2019 interview with Newsnight, Andrew denied ever meeting Giuffre and suggested that the photograph, or elements of it, may have been doctored.
"Nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored, but I don't recollect that photograph ever being taken," he claimed, adding elsewhere in the interview that he was not at Maxwell's home but at a Pizza Express in Woking.
Maxwell concluded: "Mr Epstein was arrested about two years after I stopped working for him. I do not know the truth of what went on. I have not seen US proceedings and the depositions which are referred to in the press. All I can say is that I was not aware of any improper conduct with minors.
"When Mr Epstein pleaded guilty, he stated that he would compensate any of his victims. This led to Scott Rothstein, an infamous US Attorney (now disbarred and serving 50 years in jail) creating false claims against Mr Epstein - this is fact. Brad Edwards, [REDACTED] lawyer, worked in Scott Rothstein's firm."
The statement rounded off saying: "I am not going to engage in trial by media.
"I will now report this matter to the press regulator as numerous offensive and untrue stories have been published about me without any prior warning. It seems that each week passes the allegations become ever more extreme and to date the press have failed to hold [REDACTED] and her advisors to account and I call upon them to do so.
"[REDACTED] claims to have had sexual relations with many unnamed prominent business leaders, politicians and others. I believe these stories are also false and I call upon [REDACTED] to name the people and provide evidence that can be tested in a court of law."
The statement ended: "It is deeply regrettable that Mr Epstein abused minors but that does not give [REDACTED] the right to make accusations against people who knew Jeffrey Epstein but had no knowledge of his crimes such as Alan Dershowitz and Prince Andrew both of whom deny the allegations made against them.
"Finally [REDACTED] claims she was a sex slave for the rich and famous, however the reality is that [REDACTED] was working as a waitress in a burger bar."
Topics: Jeffrey Epstein, Celebrity, Prince Andrew, Royal Family, US News, UK News, Virginia Giuffre, Crime
Rhiannon Ingle