New Epstein Files Suggest Associate Claimed Prince Andrew’s Encounter with Employee Was ‘Consensual’

Recently disclosed files released by US lawmakers contain an email exchange revealing a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein claimed the former Duke of York had “consensual sex” with one of the disgraced financier’s employees.

The private messages from 2015 show journalist Landon Thomas Jr. advising Epstein to distance himself from the then-Prince to contain the scandal.

In one email, Thomas Jr. urged Epstein to “address” the controversy directly, arguing that the former Prince, who has since been stripped of his royal titles, “in the end he had consensual sex with” an employee who worked for Epstein.

The individual referenced in the email was redacted, and it remains unclear if Thomas Jr. was referring to Virginia Giuffre, who publicly accused the former Prince of having sexual relations with her three times when she was 17.

On January 16, 2015, Thomas Jr. replied to an email from Epstein (who noted his reputation had “taken a hit”) with advice on image repair:

“I think the big issue is separating yourself from Andrew. I mean I can see why a statement might help in some way – but its Andrew (not clinton and the rest) that is keeping the story alive… Until you are able to come forward and address that the story lives on. I mean in the end he had consensual sex with (redacted) And (redacted) worked for you. The rest is atmospherics. You have moved on! People don’t know that and cant accept that unless you say as much.”

Thomas Jr. later insisted that Epstein, who died awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, never confirmed Giuffre had sex with Andrew to him, asserting he was only repeating the accusations he had read in the press.

This new information follows earlier emails in the same tranche that revealed Epstein confirmed the authenticity of the infamous photograph showing the former Prince with a teenage Giuffre at Ghislaine Maxwell’s London residence.

In 2011 messages, the late financier admitted, “…yes she had her photo taken with Andrew, as many of my employees have.” This picture surfaced the same year Ms. Giuffre made her claims, which the former Prince has consistently and vehemently denied.