Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, died without a will, leading to a significant legal dispute over her estate, which includes substantial settlements amounting to at least $12 million. Giuffre passed away on her family’s farm in Western Australia in April 2023, leaving behind a multi-million-dollar estate comprising four properties and various settlements from notable figures involved in her allegations.
The absence of a formal will, referred to as dying intestate, has prompted her family members to prepare for a legal battle over the estate, which is currently under the supervision of an interim administrator. A case management hearing is scheduled for Friday at the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
Robert Giuffre, Giuffre’s estranged husband, may have a claim to up to one-third of her estate under Australian law, despite Giuffre having expressed her desire for him not to benefit from it in an email to her lawyer. At the time of her death, the couple was in the process of divorce.
Her younger brother, Sky Roberts, and half-brother, Danny Wilson, are contesting Robert’s potential claims to the estate while also vying for control of Giuffre’s charity, Speak Out, Act, Reclaim. Other relatives, including Giuffre’s aunt, Kimberly Roberts, have voiced their opposition, stating, “We don’t believe they have a right to it. The estate should go to her children only,” as reported by the Telegraph.
The largest portion of Giuffre’s estate stems from a settlement reached in 2022 with Prince Andrew. The settlement, reportedly amounting to at least $12 million, was agreed upon to resolve a lawsuit in which Giuffre accused Andrew of having sexual encounters with her when she was a minor. Despite Andrew’s vehement denials of the allegations, he lost his royal titles following the controversy. The settlement did not include any admission of liability.
In addition to the settlement from Andrew, Giuffre received $500,000 from Epstein in 2009 after settling claims related to sex trafficking and abuse. She also secured an undisclosed sum from Ghislaine Maxwell in 2017. It remains uncertain whether any royalties from Giuffre’s posthumously published memoir, titled “Nobody’s Girl,” are part of the ongoing estate dispute.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the resolution of Giuffre’s estate will have significant implications not only for her family but also for the ongoing discussions surrounding accountability in cases of sexual abuse and trafficking.
