Virginia Giuffre’s Fear and Trauma After Encounter with Prince Andrew

In a heart-wrenching revelation that sheds new light on the Epstein scandal, Tony Figueroa, the former boyfriend of Virginia Giuffre, has shared disturbing details about her emotional state following an alleged encounter with Prince Andrew. According to Figueroa, a then 17-year-old Giuffre called him in March 2001, immediately after she claims to have been trafficked to the British royal in London. “I remember that call clearly. She was terrified. Her voice was shaking the whole time,” recalled the now 43-year-old Figueroa from his home in Atlanta. He described how Giuffre expressed feeling she had no choice but to comply with the demands placed upon her. Most alarmingly, Figueroa revealed that their conversation included fears about her safety, with specific mention of Princess Diana’s death. “We talked about the death of Princess Diana. This man was so powerful, he was literally a prince,” Figueroa explained, referencing conspiracy theories that were circulating at the time about Diana’s 1997 death in Paris. The profound fear that something similar could happen to Giuffre highlights the psychological trauma and power dynamics at play in this tragic situation.

The relationship between Giuffre and Figueroa provides important context to understanding how young people became entangled in Jeffrey Epstein’s web. The couple was dating when Giuffre began working as a masseuse for Epstein, which eventually led to her alleged trafficking to powerful men, including Prince Andrew. Figueroa himself was introduced to Epstein’s world, even visiting the financier’s Palm Beach mansion. “She introduced us. I was 18 years old, and my perspective was that this guy had everything. I was awestruck,” Figueroa admitted, describing how he initially viewed Epstein as “just a normal dude.” Perhaps most troublingly, Figueroa revealed that he too was eventually placed on Epstein’s payroll, receiving $200 for each girl he brought from his school to the sex offender’s home – a confession that clearly haunts him today. “I have nightmares. I have a son just a couple of years younger than I was when all this happened. He’s just a kid,” he reflected, demonstrating how Epstein’s influence corrupted multiple young lives and created complicity through financial dependence.

The psychological manipulation that characterized Epstein’s operation becomes increasingly apparent through Figueroa’s testimony. He described how Epstein financially supported the young couple’s entire lifestyle, paying for their car and apartment, which made it difficult for them to question or escape the situation. “I didn’t want to believe anything that would tarnish what I thought of Virginia,” Figueroa explained, revealing the cognitive dissonance experienced by those caught in Epstein’s orbit. When Giuffre finally disclosed the full extent of what was happening, Figueroa says he urged her to leave, but she felt trapped and frightened. In a particularly disturbing revelation, Figueroa claimed that Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell had asked Giuffre to carry their child while she and Figueroa were trying to conceive their own baby – further evidence of the profound exploitation and boundary violations Giuffre endured. Eventually, Giuffre was sent to Thailand ostensibly to train as a masseuse, which marked the beginning of the end of her relationship with Figueroa, as she eventually met her future husband, Robert Giuffre, and stopped responding to Figueroa’s calls.

The infamous photograph showing Prince Andrew with his arm around a young Giuffre, with Ghislaine Maxwell in the background, has been a central piece of evidence in this case – one that the Prince has repeatedly suggested might be fake. Figueroa directly contradicts this claim, stating unequivocally that he personally handled the physical photograph after Giuffre had it developed at a one-hour kiosk near their Palm Beach home. “I held the photograph in my hands. She was going through all the pictures, and she showed it to me. It was just in there with the rest,” he stated, providing a firsthand account that challenges the Prince’s denials. Figueroa expressed deep dissatisfaction with the consequences faced by Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his royal titles earlier this month following fresh damaging revelations about his relationship with Epstein. “So he’s not a duke anymore? Wow, is that it? Where is she at right now? Yeah, that’s not any kind of… justice,” Figueroa lamented, characterizing the punishment as merely “slaps on the wrist” in comparison to the suffering endured by Giuffre.

The devastating aftermath of these events culminated in April when Virginia Giuffre took her own life at the age of 41, leaving behind her posthumously published memoir “Nobody’s Girl,” which details the abuse she endured. Figueroa’s call for Prince Andrew to acknowledge his role in Giuffre’s suicide represents the anguish of those who knew and loved her, witnessing her struggles with the trauma she experienced. The pain in Figueroa’s testimony is palpable as he recalls how frightened Giuffre was during her interactions with the Prince, describing these as “the times she was most scared.” The psychological impact of being trafficked to powerful men, combined with fears for her safety and the perceived impossibility of escape or justice, created a burden that ultimately proved too heavy to bear. The tragic end to Giuffre’s life stands as a stark reminder of the long-lasting damage inflicted by sexual exploitation and the additional trauma caused when victims are disbelieved or dismissed by those in positions of power.

This case continues to raise profound questions about accountability, power, and justice. Prince Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing, despite evidence suggesting his relationship with Epstein continued years after he claimed to have severed ties with the convicted pedophile. Epstein himself never faced full justice, having died by suicide in jail while awaiting sex-trafficking charges. Meanwhile, the victims, like Giuffre, have carried the weight of these experiences throughout their lives, often fighting to be heard and believed against formidable opposition. Figueroa’s testimony adds another layer to our understanding of how young, vulnerable individuals were manipulated, exploited, and ultimately discarded by wealthy and powerful figures. It also highlights how the trauma of such experiences ripples outward, affecting not just the primary victims but also those connected to them. As Giuffre’s story continues to be told, particularly through her own words in her memoir, perhaps there is some small measure of the justice that eluded her in life – the acknowledgment of her truth and the exposure of a system that failed to protect her and countless others from predators shielded by wealth, power, and influence.