Knewz.com can reveal that an investigative journalist suggested powerful elites were working behind the scenes to shield the Duke of York and other high-profile figures from facing justice.
Andrew, 64, has been deeply entangled in the Epstein scandal since the details of his close friendship with the convicted pedophile came to light.
He was forced to step down from royal duties after Virginia Roberts Giuffre alleged Epstein trafficked her to be sexually abused by the royal when she was 17 years old.
Giuffre, now 41, sued Andrew in August 2021, two years after Epstein was found dead in his prison cell from an apparent suicide .
Her complaint alleged the duke sexually assaulted her on three separate occasions during secret trips he took to the billionaire’s mansions.
Andrew settled her suit for an undisclosed amount – The Daily Telegraph estimated it was more than $16million and claimed the cash came from Queen Elizabeth.
A new report by Daily Mail investigative reporter Stephen Wright – who has probed the royal family for years – implored whether the payment was part of a larger effort to obscure more sinister activity.
Noting the mystery surrounding the exact terms of the settlement agreement, Wright wrote: “What were the exact terms of his compensation deal with Miss Roberts, was there a wider Establishment cover-up – as I suspect – to protect Andrew and other VIPs in thrall to Epstein…?”
While Andrew has vehemently denied the allegations against him, the reporter claimed to have discovered flaws in the duke’s defense.
In response to Giuffre’s claim that Andrew abused her at Epstein’s New York mansion on one occasion, the Duke of York insisted during an infamous 2019 Newsnight interview: “I wasn’t staying there. I may have visited but no, definitely didn’t… no, no, no activity.”
But Wright’s findings indicated both Andrew and one of his bodyguards spent a night at Epstein’s property and reportedly “uncovered a gap of a few hours set aside in New York for what was called ‘Private Time’ in the Duke’s confidential tour itinerary.”
The journalist’s investigation involved “testimony from new witnesses”, “access to sensitive documents and the contents of diaries”, and interviews with “high-level sources”, he wrote.
It also highlighted a troubling lack of accountability surrounding Epstein’s sprawling network. Despite the extensive trafficking ring exposed by investigators , only the financier’s ex-girlfriend and accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, has faced serious legal repercussions. Wright suggested others involved in the sex trafficking ring “got away with it” and noted “so many unanswered questions” remain.
He wondered: “What about the drivers, pilots, domestic staff and young women who witnessed suspicious activity by Epstein and Maxwell, or actively recruited girls to be abused? What was found on all the computers and security videos seized from Epstein’s homes?”
Andrew’s attorneys previously said the duke “accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks”, adding that he “regrets his association” with Epstein.
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