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Virginia
Giuffre haunted by ‘hungry ghosts’ of Epstein and Maxwell, memoir says
Virginia Giuffre was still haunted by the “hungry ghosts” of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell decades after she escaped their “house of shame”, her posthumous memoir reveals.
Warning: This story contains details of child sexual abuse that readers may find distressing.
Giuffre, who died by suicide in April at her property in Neergabby, about 80 kilometres north of Perth, was a prominent accuser of Epstein.
She had long alleged she was trafficked for sex to Prince Andrew by Epstein when she was a teenager.
Her memoir, Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice is a harrowing account of a woman familiar with “monsters”, who wanted to be portrayed authentically.
In the 367-page book, Giuffre tells the story of her abuse, which allegedly began at the hands of her father and a family friend when she was young.
Her father, Sky William Roberts, denied the allegations.
Deemed “out of control” by her mother, who Giuffre alleged became “cold and remote” after the abuse by her father began, she was sent, as a teen, to a “tough-love treatment centre” until she ran away.
That led her to an “old man with a limousine” who claimed to own a modelling agency, groomed her with gifts and eventually trafficked her to a friend of his.
But it was her experiences with Epstein and Maxwell, “a molester with posh manners and an aristocratic pedigree” that continued to haunt her in vivid flashbacks.
She wrote that she still “feared them both”.
“Still I feel haunted by their hungry ghosts,” Giuffre wrote.
Excerpts of the book published by UK media last week included Giuffre’s allegations about being trafficked to Prince Andrew, who, she wrote was “entitled, as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright”.
In the memoir Giuffre claimed that just before she met Prince Andrew in March 2001, when she was 17 years old, she was told by Maxwell in a singsongy voice that “just like Cinderella, I was going to meet a handsome prince!”
Upon meeting the royal, Giuffre recalled Maxwell telling him to guess her age.
The prince, who was then 41, “guessed correctly” that she was 17, Giuffre said.
“My daughters are just a little younger than you,” she remembered him saying.
She also detailed three separate occasions when she had sex with the prince, who she called Andy, in meetings that have been reported in previous witness statements and accounts.
The royal has previously denied Guiffre’s accusations that he forced her to have sex more than two decades ago.
A settlement was reached in February 2022 in a civil case brought by Giuffre against Prince Andrew.
Buckingham Palace has been contacted for comment.
On Friday, local time, Prince Andrew announced he had given up his royal titles and membership of the Order of the Garter after concluding that the “continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family”.
“I vigorously deny the accusations against me,” he added.
Amy Wallace, who ghostwrote the memoir, said that Giuffre would be pleased that Prince Andrew could no longer use titles and honours.
“I know that she would view it as a victory, that he was forced by whatever means to voluntarily give them up,” she told the BBC.
“And it’s also just a step in the right direction — you know, Virginia wanted all the men who she’d been trafficked to against her will to be held to account.
“And this is just one of the men, but he is being forced to, even though he continues to deny it.
“His life is being eroded because of his past behaviour.”
On the eve of the publication of the memoir, the British government faced calls to formally remove Prince Andrew’s titles.
It has so far resisted them, even as the book brings fresh scrutiny to the prince.
Worst thing Maxwell and Epstein did was ‘psychological’
The memoir goes into some detail about Giuffre’s early childhood and teen years before she recalls being spotted by Maxwell, whose accent reminded her of Mary Poppins, while reading a book at Mar-a-Lago one morning.
She claimed Maxwell invited her over to the “Pink House” for an interview, an offer she accepted in the belief it would lead to big things.
She was then ushered into a room asked to give a naked Epstein a massage.
Giuffre said she did so under the instruction of Maxwell, who took her clothes off and undressed Giuffre before they sexually abused her.
“Is sex all anyone will ever want from me?” Giuffre remembered thinking.
It was the beginning of an ordeal she claimed saw her suffer abuse by a web of rich and powerful people, many of whom were believed to be Epstein associates.
“In my years with them, they lent me out to scores of wealthy, powerful people,” Giuffre wrote.
“I was habitually used and humiliated and, in some instances, choked, beaten, and bloodied.
“I believed that I might die a sex slave.“
Giuffre claimed that the worst thing Epstein and Maxwell did to her “weren’t physical, but psychological”.
“From the start, they manipulated me into participating in behaviours that ate away at me, eroding my ability to comprehend reality and preventing me from defending myself,” she wrote.
In one account Giuffre recalls Epstein’s callous reaction to how terrorised she felt after being “brutalised” by a “former minister,” who choked her and left her bleeding.
“Epstein cared only about Epstein,” she wrote.
Giuffre recalls alleged ‘orgy’ with Prince Andrew
In the memoir, which is interspersed with some lighter recollections of her life with her children, Giuffre recalled the moments leading up to the infamous photo of her with Prince Andrew and Maxwell.
She said she had the thought that her mother would never forgive her if she did not pose for a picture with someone so famous.
“I remember the prince putting his arm around my waist as Maxwell grinned beside me. Epstein snapped the photo,” Giuffre wrote.
That night she attended London’s Tramp nightclub with Epstein, Maxwell and the royal, who invited her to dance and “sweated profusely”.
“When we get home, you are to do for him what you do for Jeffrey,” Giuffre wrote that Maxwell told her in the car on the way to her place.
Back at the house, Maxwell and Epstein went upstairs, “signalling it was time that I take care of the prince”.
Giuffre wrote the pair had sex.
“He was friendly enough, but still entitled — as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright,” she wrote.
The next morning, Maxwell told her: “You did well. The prince had fun.”
Giuffre claimed she had sex with Andrew on two other occasions — at the townhouse in New York and on Epstein’s island in an “orgy” with “approximately eight other young girls”.
“The other girls all appeared to be under the age of 18 and didn’t really speak English,” she wrote.
“Epstein laughed about how they couldn’t really communicate, saying they are the easiest girls to get along with.“
Years later, Giuffre recalled stumbling upon a photo of Epstein walking in New York’s Central Park with Prince Andrew.
The picture, taken by former British tabloid News of the World, was published in February 2011.
Giuffre wrote that by then “everyone knew that Epstein, though he’d gotten off with a light sentence, was a convicted sex offender”.
In 2008 Epstein was convicted for soliciting prostitution from a person under the age of 18.
“I was of course revolted to see two of my abusers together, out for a stroll,” Giuffre wrote.
“But mostly I was amazed that a member of the Royal Family would be stupid enough to appear in public with Epstein.“
She also touched on the confidential settlement she reached with Prince Andrew in 2022, after she had filed a lawsuit against him in New York State.
She had pushed ahead with it in the hope he gave “a general acknowledgement of what I’d been through”.
She claimed that after “casting doubt on my credibility for so long”, Prince Andrew’s team “had even gone so far as to try to hire internet trolls to hassle me”.
“The Duke of York owed me a meaningful apology as well,” she wrote.
Allegations of abuse at home
In the memoir, there are allegations that Giuffre was sexually abused by her father.
Giuffre grew up in Florida after she was born in 1983 and wrote that she had a modest early childhood with her mother and father, until it took a turn.
Giuffre died in April at her property in Neergabby. (Reuters: Shannon Stapleton)
“When I began working with a collaborator on this book, I had never said publicly that my father molested me and then gave me to another man to molest,” she wrote.
Giuffre alleged the abuse began when her father, who she said called her his “favourite”, began getting her ready for bed.
She accused him of touching her inappropriately and claimed he told her this was his way of giving her “extra love”.
In an effort to stop the abuse from happening, Giuffre wrote that she told her father she could bathe herself and began hiding under the bed to avoid his attention.
The abuse got worse when she was introduced to “Forrest”, a friend of her father’s, who she said also assaulted her.
Mr Roberts denied the allegations in a note sent to the book’s ghostwriter.
“Just to straighten this out, I never abused my daughter and didn’t know that Forrest did that either,” he said, according to the book.
“If I had known about that, I would have been very angry and taken care of the situation.”
Before she died, Giuffre told Wallace it was her “heartfelt wish” that the memoir be released “regardless” of her circumstances.
“Two things made Virginia’s memoir different,” Wallace notes in the book.
“First, the stories she needed to share were devastating beyond measure for her to tell.
“Second, several of the characters in these stories were among the wealthiest and most powerful in the world.“
After Guiffre’s death earlier this year, Sigrid McCawley, a lawyer for dozens of Epstein abuse survivors, described her as “an incredible champion for other victims”.
Those that knew Guiffre remembered her as “deeply loving, wise, and funny”.
Virginia
Virginia Tech HC James Franklin Gives High Praise For Clemson’s Dabo Swinney
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In this world of college football, with the transfer portal and recruiting battles, bad blood is present more than ever before between head coaches.
That’s not the case between the Virginia Tech head coach and Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, however. In fact, Franklin revealed at ACC Kickoff on Thursday that the two are actually close friends, dating back to their time at the Nike trip that various coaches take over the summer.
“Dabo’s my guy,” Franklin said on Thursday. “We go way back. We’ve been on the Nike trip for a long time. His wife and my wife are friends.”
The long-time Penn State head coach is making the move to the ACC after being fired from the Nittany Lions in October. 12 seasons of being with the program had Franklin hold a 44-21 record against top 10 opponents, an impressive record for a new conference foe of Swinney’s.
But when that trip comes around, there’s a camaraderie between Swinney and Franklin and both of their wives. In fact, the two hang out with each other instead of the other coaches at times. It simply comes to an “edgy” time in college athletics that raises tempers.
“I’m going to be honest, I wouldn’t say we’re necessarily like the type of people that love a lot of other coaches and a lot of other programs,” Franklin said. “It’s hard when you just compete year-round.”
On Swinney’s end, there are a few who could immediately come to mind among Clemson fans. Perhaps the most recent would be Ole Miss coach Pete Golding, who played the most significant role in the tampering of former linebacker Luke Ferrelli.
It’s a select list of coaches who make the good side of the Tigers’ head coach, and Franklin is certainly on that list. On the other hand, Hokies’ head coach has Swinney on his own shortlist.
“Obviously, tremendous respect for what he has built at Clemson and what he’s done at Clemson, and what he’s done for the ACC,” he said.
The two will see that close relationship face off at Memorial Stadium this upcoming season. Clemson will host the Hokies on Oct. 24 in what could be a potential title-eliminator for the ACC Championship.
Of course, the last game that we’ve seen the Tigers play in was against Franklin’s former team in Penn State at the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. That game ended in a 22-10 contest that saw a foundation of Franklin players end Clemson’s season in disappointment.
Swinney will see many of those players once again in October, including starting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, in that contest. The anticipated Hokie starter recorded 260 yards and two passing touchdowns on the Tigers in the Bronx that day.
Although friends become foes, another ACC coach has given Swinney his flowers for what he’s been able to do for the conference. In the upcoming moments, Franklin will look to prepare his team to prove itself on one of the biggest stages in the ACC, while Swinney looks to put his team back at the top of a conference he’s dominated for over 15 years.
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Virginia
Drought emergency declared for parts of Virginia; governor warns of water restrictions
MARTINSVILLE, Va. (WSET) — Extreme drought conditions in parts of Virginia have prompted an emergency drought warning for a wide swath of the region, including Bedford, Campbell, Charlotte, Franklin, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Patrick, Pittsylvania and Roanoke counties, along with the cities of Danville, Roanoke, Salem and Martinsville.
The governor has warned that if conditions worsen, she will activate mandatory nonessential water-use restrictions.
In Martinsville, city leaders have issued a voluntary water conservation notice and are urging residents and businesses to cut back where they can. The request comes as local businesses that rely heavily on water say the drought is already affecting day-to-day operations.
SEE ALSO: Botetourt County residents adjust daily routines as voluntary water restriction continues
John Hughes, owner of John’s Car Wash, said the dry conditions have hit his business hard in recent weeks. “For the last 3 weeks, it’s been hitting pretty hard. We done three yesterday and haven’t done anything today with the drought and hot weather. Yeah, I’m really concerned about it,” Hughes said.
Restaurants are also feeling the strain. David Kitzmiller, an owner of Be Wiched, said water is essential for routine tasks such as washing dishes and preparing some menu items.
“We use a lot of water for washing dishes and some of our recipes if they limit us in anyway defiently can’t produce and its a scary aspect,” Kitzmiller said.
Kitzmiller added that cutting back is not always realistic for businesses that must meet sanitation needs. “Not really feasible for a business that depends solely relies on water to wash their dishes, so that can’t definitely be an impact there,” he said.
City leaders emphasized that the conservation request is voluntary for now, but they are encouraging everyone to do their part by taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet when it is not in use, washing only full loads of laundry, and limiting outdoor watering whenever possible.
Virginia
Five charged after Virginia Beach Police conduct human trafficking operation
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Five people were charged after Virginia Beach Police conducted a two-day human trafficking and vice operation on July 3, according to the Virginia Beach Police Department.
The department’s Special Investigations Bureau conducted the operation, which was aimed at identifiying human trafficking victims, reducing the demand for commercial sex and targeting individuals seeking to exploit or recruit children for prostitution.
Detectives used many investigative techniques to proactively identify individuals involved in criminal activity related to prostitution, human trafficking and offenses against children. The operation was conducted in Virginia Beach, involving personnel from all of the bureau’s squads.
As a result of the operation, five people were identified and charged with offenses ranging from solicitation of prostitution to sex trafficking and crimes involving minors. Two vehicles and U.S. currency were seized during the operation. Other people were connected to victim services through Samaritan House.


The operation led to the following people being charged:
- Shane Carter, 28, of Norfolk, was charged with solicitation of prostitution.
- Robert Harris, 64, of Virginia Beach, was charged with solicitation of prostitution and assault and battery.
- Larry Pittman, 53, of Portsmouth, was charged with sex trafficking and use of electronic devices to facilitaate certain offenses involving minors.
- Kenric Frazier, 46, of Portsmouth, was charged with sex trafficking, use of electronic devices to facilitate certain offenses involving minors and solicitation of child pornography.
- Cameron Lewis, 24, of Norfolk, was charged with solicitation of prostitution.
Investigators also developed leads about people who are suspected of trafficking and exploiting others for commercial sex. Those are now active and ongoing investigations. There may be more charges and arrests pending further investigation and consultation with the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
If you’re a human trafficking victim or know someone who is, you can report it to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
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