Sarah Ferguson’s chronic debt problems became a source of crude humour amongst Jeffrey Epstein’s circle, with the convicted paedophile receiving a mocking email suggesting Prince Andrew would “sell his daughters” to see his ex-wife financially solvent.
Documents released from the Epstein Files reveal an unnamed associate sent the disgraced financier a purported newspaper headline reading “Andrew sold daughters to pay Fergie debts” in March 2011, describing it as so amusing they “choked and shot snot out of my nose” whilst laughing.
The friend signed off the message “Best one yet!!!”, suggesting stories about the Duke and Duchess of York’s financial entanglements with Epstein were a recurring source of entertainment within his network.
The revelation exposes the reality behind Ferguson’s public praise of Epstein as her “supreme friend” and “the brother I have always wished for” during a 15-year period when he provided at least £115,000 in financial support—even after his 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from girls as young as 14.
Communications indicate the former Duchess accepted Epstein’s money to cover rent, her personal assistant’s salary, and flights to America for herself and daughters Beatrice and Eugenie just days after his 2009 prison release.
One 2009 message believed to be from Ferguson urgently requested £20,000 for rent, warning her landlord threatened media exposure without immediate payment. She appeared to ask the paedophile financier: “Any brainwaves?”
Prince Andrew similarly turned to Epstein to resolve his ex-wife’s debts, with their infamous December 2010 Central Park stroll occurring whilst arranging settlement of money owed to Ferguson’s longtime assistant Johnny O’Sullivan.
Mr O’Sullivan was owed $126,721 in unpaid wages and MBA tuition costs his employer had promised. Epstein brokered an agreement for approximately half that sum three months after the park meeting, though he privately called the assistant a “little sh*t” whilst delaying payment.
Andrew told the sex offender they would “play some more soon” whilst discussing the debt arrangements, adding: “It would seem we are in this together.”
Ferguson later characterised accepting Epstein’s financial assistance as a “gigantic error of judgement,” though private communications suggest she subsequently backtracked to assure him she didn’t believe he was a child sex offender.
The 66-year-old has vanished from public view since the files’ January release, last appearing at her granddaughter’s December christening. Possible sightings have emerged in Dubai, Switzerland and Ireland, whilst friend Priscilla Presley has denied hosting her in Los Angeles.
US lawmakers are demanding Ferguson provide sworn testimony about her Epstein connections, though her former lawyer Jonathan Coad told the BBC there is “no chance” she would travel to America, calling it potentially “a disaster for her daughters.”
