Sarah Ferguson asked Epstein for bankruptcy advice while he was in jail, emails suggest
Sarah Ferguson asked pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein for advice on bankruptcy while in prison and begged him for a job after his release, according to emails.
The cables, released as part of a series of documents by the Ministry of Justice, show the former Duchess of York reached out to Epstein about debt problems, which she described as “very frustrating”.
He apparently said “it’s easier to die than this” and was on the verge of “exhaustion” as he sought advice from the wealthy financier on a pile of debts that he wrote amounted to “£6 million”.
A year later, she began begging Epstein for a job, telling him she “badly needed the money.” [sic]”.
Epstein was convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution in 2008 and sentenced to 13 months in prison. In an email dated July 2009, near the end of his sentence, Ms Ferguson appears to have consulted him about an offer she had received from British billionaire John Caudwell, founder of mobile phone store Phones 4u.
“Jeffrey, you are a true friend. Thank you.” [sic]” he wrote. “A man named John Caudwell. Check it out, he made millions with a company called Phones 4 you.
“He’s decided to give me £10 million, but in return he wants 50% of my lifetime net profits. My debt now stands at around £6 million. What do you say?”
Epstein responded by telling him to get the offer in writing.
Mr Caudwell’s spokesman issued a statement saying the pair were “long-time acquaintances” who initially met through charity work. They added that Mr Caudwell was unaware that he had consulted Epstein about the offer and decided not to take the action at the time.
“John Caudwell never met or had any relationship or correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein,” the spokesperson added.
The following year, in a message dated May 16, 2010, he appeared to ask Epstein for a job, writing: “but I don’t understand why, don’t appoint me as your Household’s assistant. [sic]
“I’m the most talented one and I need the money badly. Please, Jeffrey, think about this.”
The email also suggested that “Andrew” had met with London-based German businessman David Stern, with whom Epstein shared hundreds of emails, according to the files, and that “he has an update for you.”
Epstein said he wanted Andrew to meet the chairman of JPMorgan. Asked if he could hire Ms. Ferguson, he wrote: “I’d like to help, let’s talk face to face.”
Mention in the Epstein files does not imply any wrongdoing.
At the time of writing, Miss Ferguson was divorced from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor but was still the Duchess of York. A lucrative contract with WeightWatchers had just ended, and the emails appear to show he was desperate for funds.
Later emails from September 2010 showed Ms. Ferguson, identified as “Ferg,” asking Epstein, “When are you going to hire me?” he seems to ask.
In response, he said the two could talk about it when he arrived in London “in two to three weeks.”
“Ferg” replies: “I love you too… And love you too [sic] will. My friendship is unshakable until the end, even if the body grows cold. I love you now and always. I know you do too.”
