Epstein threatened Sarah Ferguson after royal rift

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, drew considerable criticism after leaked correspondence from April 2011 showed her seemingly apologizing to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein soon after publicizing their break.

However, representatives for the Duchess and her previous PR team stated that the missive was in reality dictated by severe blackmail by the former hedge funder, made after he issued direct legal threats and embarked on an “abusive campaign of bullying” and intimidation after being publicly linked to child abuse.

Public condemnation and the private apology

The Duchess made public her public denouncement of the man by her former close confidant in a high-profile interview with the Evening Standard on 31st March 2011 to “clear the air” after it was revealed that she had accepted money from Epstein – who helped to clear her financial debts – as a “personal gift.”

Her spokesman on the time stated that there were a number of reasons for her and Epstein’s estrangement but they were to clear “any lingering ambiguity for the many people who look to the Duchess for moral guidance” to include the allegations of sexual abuse leveled against Jeffrey Epstein.

She went on to describe her links to the financial wizard a “gigantic error of judgment”, and declared:

“I abhor paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children. It is heinous and unforgivable and anything with which it is connected must be treated with the utmost severity.I will repay the money and have nothing ever to do with Jeffrey Epstein ever again.”

But a leaked email dated 26th April 2011 obtained by the British newspapers had Epstein, as the recipients in copy, the Duchess writing that she “humbly apologized” for the effect of the statement and Epstein had been for years “the Steadfast, Genial and supreme friend.”

“a hannibal lecter-style call” by eastman

But the Duchess’s spokesman in 2011 James Henderson-Ferguson defended his employer. According to Henderson’s memoirs published last year Epstein was not only “annoyed” at the adverse publicity he received, but launched a virulent campaign of “abuse”.

In a telephone conversation with a spokesman for the Duchess and her team, described as being “hannibal lecter-style”, Epstein threatened “defamation” lawsuits which he “said could destroy the family name,” of the Yorks and promised to unleash financial destruction, if they did not reverse the claims which had been broadcast of his connection to paedophilia.

Epstein also wrote emails detailing which lawyers his victims had hired, threatening also their careers should the claims continued to “taint his professional and good personal life”.

The charity sector falls in behind the country’s stance – with Teenage Cancer Trust, Julia’s House children’s Hospice and The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation cutting ties with the royal.

“The lawyer for Epstein… Had assured the lawyers for the Duchess that the case was in play, and threatened further civil cases unless he was taken up seriously on a business basis. And so this is why we did send that appeasement to Epstein”.

After reading the Duchess’s email to her former benefactor, Henderson asked his “boss” what kind of man was he that a lawyer would have to appeal to him and persuade him in such an aggressive way. Her Duchess, however chose not to speak any further.

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Her representatives said later: “The Duchess of York of course unequivocally condemns the abuse of children in every aspect, and the victims of such crimes remain her central consideration. Ms Ferguson, as she stated many time over, believes she was exploited by Epstein, just as a countless number of women were.”