British Royal Asks US Judge to Dismiss Abuse Lawsuit

Prince Andrew’s lawyers are asking for a lawsuit against him in the US to be dismissed. Virginia Roberts Giuffre is suing the British royal in New York, CNN reports. The prince denies the allegations—and also says the lawsuit violates the terms of an existing settlement agreement that allowed for a “general release” of claims against Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein. Giuffre, 38, says she was trafficked when she was 17 by Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 at 66, and assaulted by Prince Andrew, 61. Her lawsuit also accuses Andrew of abusing her on Epstein’s island in the US Virgin Islands, and accuses Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein, of forcing her to have sex with Andrew at Maxwell’s London home, the New York Times reports.

Maxwell was arrested in July 2020 and has been in custody awaiting trial ever since. The prince’s lawyers said in a filing that “Giuffre has initiated this baseless lawsuit against Prince Andrew to achieve another payday at his expense and at the expense of those closest to him.” He has also denied ever having sex with Giuffre. Giuffre’s lawyers say Andrew is not part of the release she signed in 2009. Maxwell’s trial is expected to begin in November. (More Prince Andrew stories.)