Virginia Giuffre’s ex-boyfriend has told of his fears over her sexual assault lawsuit against Prince Andrew as the Duke’s lawyers battle to dismiss the allegations on a ‘technicality’.
Anthony Figueroa said that Ms Giuffre was in a relationship at the time of 2001’s allegations.
Ms Giuffre (38) is one billionaire sex-offender Jeffrey Epstein’s most well-known victims. He claims she trafficked her and Ghislaine Maxwell in order to allow her to have sex three times with Prince Andrew while she was 17.
However, the prince’s legal team are bidding to have the case thrown out on the basis that she waived her right to to sue him when she signed an earlier £370,000 ($500,000) legal settlement with Epstein.
The Duke, aged 61, strongly denies these claims and states that Ms Giuffre wants ‘another paycheck at his expense.
On Tuesday, Judge Lewis Kaplan said to his attorney at the hearing in New York that he would have the decision “pretty soon”.
Today, Mr Figueroa spoke on Good Morning Britain with ITV to discuss the hearing and raise his concern that “somebody will get away”
He stated that he didn’t think he would face any music until addressing the issue.
‘He [Prince Andrew]He is considered royalty so I can imagine that he wouldn’t have to deal any of it.
“Then again I don’t know.” “I hope that he will have to face the truth of everything he has been accused of.”
Prince Andrew Roberts and Virginia Roberts were 17 years old when they visited Ghislaine Maxwell’s London townhouse. This was in March 2001.
Prince Andrew, who was serving a sentence for felony fraud in 2011, was photographed taking a walk around New York’s Central Park after being spotted with Epstein.
Virginia Roberts shows a picture of herself in 16-years-old when Jeffrey Epstein was abusing her sexually
Ghislaine Maxwell owns a house in Belgravia (London), where Virginia Giuffre says she was forced to have sexual relations with Prince Andrew, Duke Of York.
Virginia Roberts is currently suing Prince Andrew, under the married name Giuffre. She was accompanied by Anthony Figueroa, Good Morning Britain’s Wednesday morning host
Picture of Mr Figueroa and Ms Giuffre. Today, he said that he hoped Prince Andrew would face all the accusations against him.
She also told how her ex-boyfriend found out about Ms Giuffre’s trip to London in 2001. There, she claimed she was sexually assaulted.
He replied, “She had previously told me she was going meet him.” [Prince Andrew in London]Jeffrey Epstein
“When she got back from their trip, she called me to let me know that they had given her the instructions. Because she wasn’t sure how to respond, she was very nervous.
“I explained to her, that you’re now out of the country and I have no way to help you. You need to make sure you feel secure. It is entirely out of my control if anything happens. It was my desire for her safety.
When asked by Figueroa if he would intervene after hearing about Ms Giuffre’s allegations of abuse at that time, he replied that he was powerless.
He replied, “What could you have done?” At the time, I was only 19 years old. These billionaires were far wealthier than me and held much more power.
“I was practically powerless.” “I couldn’t do much.”
His interview came just hours Prince Andrew’s hopes of getting the case by his US sex accuser thrown out of court were said to be hanging by a thread last night following a ‘brutal’ hearing in New York.
Judge Kaplan made his legal team go through a rough encounter, before telling the monarch he’d find out “pretty soon” – probably within days if his attempt to dismiss the suit was successful.
A legal expert stated that the hearing was ‘unfortunate’. He pointed out the fact that his lawyers had been reduced to saying that they respect the decision of the judge.
He denies making the allegations and claims that he doesn’t remember ever meeting her.
But Judge Kaplan was mostly dismissive of Andrew Brettler’s arguments.
He said that part of the 2009 settlement protecting ‘other potential defendants’ that Andrew’s lawyers had appeared to be leaning on was ‘unclear’ and pointed to two sentences in the text that seemed to suggest it could not be used by Andrew.
Judge Kaplan also pointed to language in the agreement stating it is ‘not intended to be used by any other person’ to protect themselves from lawsuits without the agreement of Miss Roberts and Epstein – again suggesting Andrew could not rely on it.
Although he didn’t immediately rule on the matter at the conclusion of the hearing, Andrew made it clear that he wasn’t leaning Andrew’s direction. He rejected many of Mr Brettler’s reasoning, which stated the case “should absolutely be dismissed”.
Andrew is expected to use this hearing as an opportunity to end the civil lawsuit before going on trial later in the autumn. A trial like that would possibly overshadow the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year.
The duke was able to claim that Ms Giuffre’s 2009 agreement with Epstein exonerated him from all liability.
Ms. Giuffre agreed to release, acquit and satisfy Epstein, as well as any other entity or person that could have been considered as potential defendant, in the settlement.
The team at Ms Giuffre says that Andrew is not protected by the agreement.
Although she is seeking unknown damages, there are rumors that the amount could reach into millions.