Virginia Giuffre, a key accuser in the Jeffrey Epstein case, passed away in April 2023 without a will, igniting a legal dispute among her family over her substantial estate. Giuffre, who was 41 at the time of her death, left behind an estate valued in the millions, which includes four properties and significant settlements from notable figures, including at least $12 million from former Prince Andrew.
Her tragic passing occurred at her family’s farm in Western Australia, where she reportedly took her own life. According to the *Telegraph*, Giuffre’s decision to die intestate, or without a formal will, has resulted in her relatives preparing to contest the distribution of her assets. An interim administrator has been appointed to oversee the estate until a case management hearing can take place at the Supreme Court of Western Australia.
Under Australian law, Giuffre’s estranged husband, Robert Giuffre, may claim up to one-third of her estate despite her expressed desire not to include him in her financial matters. Just weeks before her death, Giuffre communicated via email to her lawyer that she did not wish for her ex-husband to receive any portion of her estate. At the time of her passing, the couple was in the process of divorcing.
Giuffre’s younger brother, Sky Roberts, and half-brother, Danny Wilson, are challenging Robert’s claim to her estate and are also asserting their rights to control the charity she was establishing, named Speak Out, Act, Reclaim. This has led to tensions within the family, as other relatives contest their claims. Giuffre’s aunt, Kimberly Roberts, has publicly stated, “We don’t believe they have a right to it. The estate should go to her children only.”
The majority of Giuffre’s estate is derived from the settlement she received from former Prince Andrew in 2022, which was reportedly at least $12 million. This payment was made to resolve a lawsuit accusing Andrew of sexual misconduct with Giuffre when she was a minor. Despite Andrew’s firm denials of the allegations, the settlement led to significant consequences for him, including the loss of his royal titles. The payment is believed to have been partially funded by the late Queen Elizabeth II and was made without any admission of liability.
In addition to the settlement from Andrew, Giuffre received $500,000 from Epstein in 2009 as part of a settlement concerning allegations of sex trafficking and abuse. She also obtained an undisclosed amount from Ghislaine Maxwell in 2017. It remains uncertain whether royalty payments from Giuffre’s memoir, “Nobody’s Girl,” which was published posthumously, are involved in the ongoing dispute.
As the legal battle unfolds, the implications of Giuffre’s estate and the decisions made by her family will continue to attract public attention, particularly given her role in exposing sexual abuse and the broader Epstein scandal. The case management hearing scheduled for Friday at the Supreme Court of Western Australia is anticipated to shed more light on the future of her estate and the competing claims from her relatives.