Sarah Ferguson made two visits to Jeffrey Epstein at the Palm Beach office of a sham company he created while serving jail time for a child sex offence, newly surfaced emails from the Epstein Files suggest.
The correspondence indicates that the Duchess of York travelled to Florida in April 2009 and returned the following month, with both meetings taking place while Epstein was taking part in a work release programme.
The office belonged to the Florida Science Foundation, a bogus organisation Epstein set up as part of the arrangement that allowed him to leave custody during the day and present himself as working.
At one of the meetings, Ferguson appears to have discussed possible ways she could earn money. The emails also suggest a third visit had been planned, but was cancelled at the last moment.
The files have also raised fresh questions about Lord Peter Mandelson, who is said to have phoned and video-called Epstein at the same office while staying at the financier’s mansion in New York.
Several of Epstein’s victims have alleged that he abused them inside the Florida Science Foundation’s headquarters, even though he was meant to be serving his sentence at the nearby Palm Beach County Stockade.
Epstein had been convicted in June 2008 of procuring a minor for prostitution. Under the work release terms that followed, he was permitted to leave jail for as long as 12 hours a day, six days a week, to work from his office.
During those outings, he was monitored by off-duty sheriff’s deputies.
Sarah Ferguson (pictured) visited Jeffrey Epstein twice at the office of a bogus firm he had set up while he was still serving time in jail for a child sex offence
Epstein was involved in generous work release programme following his conviction for procuring a minor for prostitution in June 2008
But despite the fact he was still serving jail time, Ms Ferguson asked the paedophile whether she could see him during a stopover in Palm Beach.
On April 4, 2009, she sent him an email saying: ‘Hello Jeffrey. I am landing in Palm Beach in a couple of hours. Is there any chance on my quick layover that I can get to have a quick cup of tea…’
Ferguson signed off the email: ‘Love Sarah The red Head.!!’
Epstein responded, telling her she could visit him and gave her the address of his office in West Palm Beach which he said was ‘ten minutes from the airport’.
Following the meeting, which appears to have mainly been about her business Mothers Army, Epstein emailed her saying ‘you look great’ and telling her ‘I read everything you gave me, too many pictures… not enough substance i.e. numbers’.
He gave her advice on how to get a £10million sponsorship deal and instructed her to get women like Michelle Obama involved in the business.
She replied to thank him for his advice, saying: ‘My dear spectacular and special friend Jeffrey.
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‘You are a legend, and I am so proud of you… for being such a great friend.’
Pictured: The offices of the Florida Science Foundation which Epstein set up to secure release from jail
Former UK ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, is seen walking his dog on April 17
More emails from that period also suggest she tried to visit him again later in April, which ultimately did not happen.
Then, in May, when he was still in prison, she emailed him: ‘I am coming into Palm Beach to see you on Wednesday I land at 9.30am.
‘Can your brilliant [driver] pick me up, bring me to you, The Great one!! And then take me to Miami!??? Please with roses on top!’
Epstein told his staff to ‘please coordinate’ her request.
Later emails also suggest that Ms Ferguson walked past a Sheriff’s deputy to get into Epstein’s office in the April visit as the paedophile needed to be monitored when on day release from prison.
During the same week as one of Ferguson’s visits, Lord Mandelson called Epstein at his Palm Beach office from London, The Telegraph has reported.
The then-business secretary told Epstein things were ‘still riotous here politically’ amid the fallout from the MPs’ expenses scandal in 2009.
The following month, Lord Mandelson video-called Epstein at the Florida Science Foundation’s office while he was staying at the paedophile’s townhouse in New York.
This was four weeks before Epstein was formally released from jail.
Lord Mandelson, who has been stripped of his titles over his links to the paedophile, has maintained he never saw any evidence of wrongdoing during his time spent with Epstein.
A spokesman for Ms Ferguson previously told the BBC: ‘The Duchess spoke of her regret about her association with Epstein many years ago, and as they have always been, her first thoughts are with his victims.
‘Like many people, she was taken in by his lies. As soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him, she not only cut off contact but condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with paedophilia.’
The Daily Mail has approached Lord Mandelson’s representatives for comment.
