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Lawyers drag prince into underage sex scandal
The deposition of a model who worked for Jeffrey Epstein raises questions about the prince's judgement
Michael Litton, Kate Mansey and John Harlow Published: 13 March 2011
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Jeffrey Epstein and a woman, identified as Adrianna Ross, are pictured together. The text indicates she was hired to work at his mansion.
Jeffrey Epstein hired Adrianna Ross to work at his mansion (Neil Rasmuss)
A former top model who worked for a paedophile friend of Prince Andrew has been questioned under oath about whether the royal was involved with underage girls.
Legal documents obtained by The Sunday Times show that Adrian Ross was asked if the Duke of York was linked to the scandal surrounding his billionaire friend Jeffrey Epstein. Ross is one of four women who worked for the US financier who were named as "potential co-conspirators" when Epstein was convicted of sex offences involving a minor. In a videotaped interview during subsequent civil proceedings, lawyers asked Ross: "Has Prince Andrew ever been involved with underage minor females to your knowledge?"
Invoking the US constitution's fifth amendment, which protects against self-incrimination, Polish-born Ross, 27, replied: "I refuse to answer." She was also asked "Have you ever met Prince Andrew?" and "Have you ever flown on [Epstein's] plane with Prince Andrew?" Ross refused to answer.
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Flight logs show that Andrew was a passenger on Epstein's jet in May woo. In Ross's interview it was alleged that the former Elite agency model travelled on the aircraft more than 5o times. It has been claimed that Epstein abused young girls on the jet.
There is no suggestion that Andrew had sexual contact with any of the girls or that he knew Epstein abused them.
Ross's deposition will raise more questions about the prince's judgment after he met the billionaire in New York in December following Epstein's release from prison.
Allegations have been made against Epstein by up to 4o girls, with at least 17 cases settled out of court. Epstein is said to have abused girls as young as 12. He secured protection for his associates through a non-prosecution agreement. The federal document names Ross as a possible co-conspirator.
Lawyers acting for Epstein's victims in the civil courts are challenging the agreement and claim it may lead to Andrew being asked to give evidence.
In an interview with Bradley Edwards, a lawyer who represents some of the victims, Ross said she moved to Florida in 2002 after Elite obtained a visa for her to work in America. The model was then hired to work in Epstein's Palm Beach mansion and organised his diary. She was at his side in 2005 at a New York launch party for one of Epstein's magazines. Ross's name was found on messages and notes seized by detectives from the Florida property.
During the interview, she refused to answer any questions about her involvement with Epstein.
The other “potential co-conspirators”, who are thought to have helped to procure girls for Epstein, are named as [redacted], Nadia Marcinkova and [redacted].
Epstein, 58, served 13 months in prison for soliciting a minor for prostitution and soliciting prostitution. He will remain on the sex offenders' register for life.
His friend Ghislaine Maxwell, 49, the daughter of Robert Maxwell, the late media tycoon, was one of Epstein's closest aides and is alleged in legal papers to have hired underage girls for him, joining in the sex games, which she denies. Virginia Roberts, one victim, told how she was kept as Epstein's paid sex slave for four years from the age of 15.
She said Epstein introduced her to Andrew, who she says she met three times.
It emerged last week that Epstein paid £15,000 to settle a debt for the Duchess of York. Royal sources said Andrew was "unwise" to have remained in contact with Epstein but state he has now severed ties.
Neither Ross nor her lawyer responded to questions put by The Sunday Times.
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