By Reuters
April 25 (Reuters) – Virginia Giuffre, one of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent accusers, has committed suicide, her family said on Friday.
Giuffre, 41, died on Friday in Western Australia state, where she had been living for several years, the family said in an emailed statement.
The Reuters Tariff Watch newsletter is your daily guide to the latest global trade and tariff news. Sign up here.
“Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors,” the family statement said. “Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure.”
Western Australia state police said they received a report late on Friday local time that a 41-year-old woman, whom they did not name, died at a residence in Neergabby, a rural area on Perth’s outskirts. Police said first aid was attempted to no avail and that foul play was not suspected.
Giuffre was one of the first people to call for criminal prosecution against Epstein, which he eventually faced. Epstein was charged with sex trafficking in July 2019. Authorities say he committed suicide a few weeks later while imprisoned in New York’s Metropolitan Correctional Center.
Epstein’s death has ignited controversy for years, with some alleging he was murdered in jail to cover up the exposure of the rich and powerful clients who allegedly were involved in trysts with some 250 underage girls on his island. In 2024, a group of victims filed a lawsuit accusing the FBI of covering up its failure to investigate Epstein.