Yahoo News Prince Andrew was touted as 'bait' to lure teen girl to Epstein's Caribbean island, victim claims
Prince Andrew was ‘touted as bait’ by Jeffrey Epstein to lure a teenage girl to his Caribbean island, it has been claimed.
A victim of Epstein, who calls herself Jane Doe 15, was reportedly offered the chance to meet Prince Andrew in an attempt to encourage her to visit Little St James, the island owned by paedophile Epstein.
The woman claims she was groomed when she was 15 and visited New York on a school trip and had already been assaulted by Epstein at his townhouse before the offer to meet Prince Andrew was made.
A statement reportedly filed to court claims the teen was also sexually assaulted at a ranch compound in New Mexico in 2004, according to The Sunday Times.
The teen was later offered the chance to meet Prince Andrew if she visited Epstein’s Caribbean island - something she says she declined “out of fear” and she never saw him again.
The allegations are the latest to emerge as the scandal over Andrew relationship with Epstein continues to engulf the royal.
Andrew has stepped down from royal duties after Virginia Giuffre claimed he had sex with her when she was 17 - claims the prince denies.
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In what was dubbed a ‘car crash’ interview, Andrew said he had no recollection of meeting Ms Giuffre.
A letter from Gloria Allred, who is representing five of Epstein’s victims including Jane Doe 15, to Prince Andrew says Andrew’s “prestige and reputation were directly touted in his attempts to engage in further harm” and urged him to “sworn testimony” to the FBI to help Epstein’s victims “find peace”.
In a statement following an interview with Ms Giuffre by the BBC, Buckingham Palace said Andrew: “unequivocally regrets his ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein” and “deeply sympathises with those affected who want some form of closure”.
It added: “It is emphatically denied that The Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.”
