Sarah Ferguson asked paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein for advice over bankruptcy while he was in prison, and begged him for a job after he was released, according to emails.
The communications released as part of a tranche of documents by the Department of Justice appear to show the former Duchess of York reaching out to Epstein over her debt troubles, which she called “so so demoralising”.
She appears to have said “death is easier than this” and that she was about to “freak with exhaustion” as she asked the wealthy financier for advice on her debt pile, which she wrote stood at “£6m”.
A year later, she appeared to beg Epstein for a job, telling him she “desperately need the money”.
Epstein was jailed for 13 months in 2008 after he was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor. In one email dated near the end of his sentence, in July 2009, Ms Ferguson appears to consult him over an offer she had received from John Caudwell, the British billionaire founder of the mobile phone shop Phones 4u.
“Jeffrey, you are true friend [sic]. Thank you,” she wrote. “A man called John Caudwell. Check him out, he made millions with a company called Phones 4 you.
“He has decided he would like to give me 10 million pounds, but for that he wants 50% of my net profits for life. My debts stand at approximately £6m right now. What say you?”
Epstein replied, telling her to get the offer in writing.
A spokesperson for Mr Caudwell issued a statement saying the pair were “long-time acquaintances” who initially met through charity work. They added Mr Caudwell had been unaware she had consulted Epstein on the offer, and that he decided not to go through with the transaction at the time.
“John Caudwell has never met or had any association or correspondence with Jeffrey Epstein,” the spokesperson added.
The next year, in a message dated 16 May 2010, she appeared to ask Epstein for employment, writing: “but why I don't understand, don't you just get me to be your House Assistant.
“I am the most capable and desperately need the money. Please Jeffrey think about it”
In the email, she also suggested “Andrew” had met with David Stern, a London-based German businessman with whom Epstein shared hundreds of emails, according to the files, and “he has an update for you”.
Epstein replied that he wanted Andrew to meet the head of JPMorgan. When asked again about whether he could employ Ms Ferguson, he wrote: “I would like to be helpful, lets talk in person. [sic]”
Mention in the Epstein files does not mean any wrongdoing.
Ms Ferguson was divorced from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor at the time of writing, but was still the Duchess of York. A lucrative contract with WeightWatchers had just ended and emails appear to show her desperate for funds.
Later emails from September 2010 appear to show Ms Ferguson – named as “Ferg” – asking Epstein: “When are you going to employ me”?
In a response, he says the pair can talk about it when he comes to London “in two to three weeks”. Adding: “I have never let you down.”
“Ferg” responds: “Nor I you.. And bever [sic] will. My friendship is steadfast to the end, even after the body is cold .. Love you now and always.. And I know you do tooo.”
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