Epstein victim says sex tapes ‘exist’ after court files name Andrew and Branson

A victim of Jeffrey Epstein who claimed the paedophile financier made sex tapes of the Duke of York and Sir Richard Branson has repeated her allegation that “there are videos that exist”.

Sarah Ransome told ITV’s Good Morning Britain she is sure the people who know the alleged tapes exist “are very frightened of them being released”.

Ms Ransome, who gave a victim impact statement ahead of the sentencing of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell for sex trafficking, appeared to write communications claiming the two men, along with former US president Bill Clinton, were filmed by Epstein.

On behalf of Sir Richard, a Virgin Group spokeswoman said: “In a New Yorker report published in 2019, Ransome admitted that she had ‘invented’ the tapes.

“We can confirm that Sarah Ransome’s claims are baseless and unfounded.”

In the 2019 New Yorker article, the author, Connie Bruck, says: “Ransome told me that she had invented the tapes to draw attention to Epstein’s behaviour, and to make him believe that she had ‘evidence that would come out if he harmed me’.”

On Tuesday, the day after the files were released, Ms Ransome appeared to double down on her claim, telling the broadcaster: “There are videos that exist.

“The people that know they exist I’m sure are very frightened of them being released.”

She continued: “It’s no secret that everything was recorded.

“Multiple victims have come forward confirming my account, along with others.

“I’ve also seen recordings in his office.”

Andrew stepped down from public life after the furore over his friendship with Epstein, and paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault case with Virginia Giuffre, a woman he claimed never to have met.

He was cast out of the working monarchy and no longer uses his HRH style after Ms Giuffre, who was trafficked by Epstein, accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 17.

The duke strenuously denies any wrongdoing.

Epstein’s former lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, said the duke made a “terrible mistake” by paying millions to settle the civil case with Ms Giuffre.

Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Dershowitz added: “If he had fought that case, I believe he would have won, I believe the case would have been dismissed on a variety of grounds, but he didn’t want to sit through a deposition, or people around him didn’t want to sit through a deposition, so he settled the case.”

A US judge ordered hundreds of documents to be unsealed as part of Ms Giuffre’s previously settled civil claim against Maxwell, which was filed in 2015.

Addressing the claims about Andrew and Sir Richard in the document released as part of another tranche published on Monday, Ms Ransome wrote: “When my friend had sexual intercourse with Clinton, Prince Andrew and Richard Branson, sex tapes were in fact filmed on each separate occasion by Jeffrey.

“Thank God she managed to get a hold of some footage of the filmed sex tapes, which clearly identify the faces of Clinton, Prince Andrew and Branson having sexual intercourse with her.

“Frustratingly enough Epstein was not seen in any of the footage but he was clever like that!

“When my friend eventually had the courage to speak out and went to the police in 2008 to report what had happened, nothing was done and she was utterly humiliated by the police department where she went to report what had happened with Epstein, Clinton, Branson and Prince Andrew.”

The extracts were flagged by a firm representing Mr Dershowitz, to demonstrate Ms Ransome “manifestly lacks credibility”.

The communications appeared in a letter from Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady LLP to the court, in which the firm said allegations against Mr Dershowitz were categorically false.

The firm said: “Her (Ms Ransome) testimony was fabricated from whole cloth. Ms Ransome’s testimony also contains a slew of other incendiary claims concerning the sexual proclivities of Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and other prominent individuals.

“The emails are a necessary antidote to Ms Ransome’s deposition misstatements because they demonstrate she manifestly lacks credibility.”

Images were also released as part of the latest tranche of documents, including a resurfaced photo of former Labour minister Lord Mandelson with Epstein on his private island, Little St James.

Other pictures, all taken on the island in 2006, included one of Maxwell with disgraced French model scout Jean Luc-Brunel and various girls posing for photos.

Ms Ransome also claimed “many girls” had sexual relations with former US president Donald Trump, adding that he “liked flicking and sucking” her friend’s nipples “until they were raw”.

Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan, New York, in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.

Maxwell has been imprisoned since July 2020 despite attempts by her defence counsel to have her released on bail.

She was sentenced to 20 years in prison at the federal court in the Southern District of New York in June 2022.

The socialite indicated her desire to appeal shortly after her conviction, with her lawyers claiming victims had “faded, distorted and motivated memories”.

Her appeal is scheduled to be heard in November next year.