Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican congressman from Kentucky, has accused Prince Andrew of committing sex crimes in the United States. Massie made the accusation during a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington D.C., renewing calls for the prosecution of associates of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Massie, a prominent figure in the movement to release Epstein's documents, explicitly named Prince Andrew alongside former Barclays executive Jes Staley and magician David Copperfield. "And Prince Andrew, who committed sex crimes in the United States," Massie stated, adding his hope that naming these individuals would prompt the Department of Justice to act. "Perhaps hearing these names will shame the Department of Justice into delivering justice."
Prince Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing or commission of sex offenses. The accusations echo claims made by Virginia Giuffre, who has alleged she was forced to have sex with the Duke of York three times when she was 17. Giuffre claims two of these encounters occurred in New York and on Epstein's private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Massie's intervention in the U.S. Congress comes as a woman who claims she was flown to the UK by Epstein to have sex with Andrew has reportedly shifted her stance on testifying. The unnamed woman, who alleges she spent a night with Prince Andrew at Royal Lodge in Windsor in 2010, was initially reluctant to cooperate with British police investigating trafficking claims due to privacy concerns for her child. Her U.S. lawyer, Bradley Edwards, has indicated that his client has moved from a "hard no" to a "maybe" regarding cooperation with UK authorities.
Edwards stated he has been in contact with British police about potentially interviewing his client in the United States, though no agreement has been reached. He emphasized that his client's primary concern is protecting her child. The woman alleges she was in her 20s when she spent a night with Andrew at Royal Lodge at Epstein's request, and was also given a tour of Buckingham Palace.
Prince Andrew was previously arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office, following the release of documents suggesting he shared sensitive information with Epstein. Thames Valley Police are leading an investigation into Andrew, which has been expanded to include sex trafficking allegations. Specialist sexual offense investigators are reportedly involved in the probe, which is being resourced as a major crime investigation.
Edwards previously represented Virginia Giuffre in her lawsuit against Prince Andrew. Andrew settled the case for a reported £12 million before it went to trial, without admitting liability. Unsealed documents from the Department of Justice included messages from Andrew to Epstein in 2010 discussing setting him up with a woman described as "26, russian, clevere [sic] beautiful, trustworthy."