Jeffrey Epstein's First Public Accuser Virginia Giuffre Dies by Suicide 1 Month After Being Hit by a Bus

Virginia Giuffre, who spoke out after allegedly being trafficked as a teenager to Prince Andrew by Jeffrey Epstein, died at 41-years-old by suicide, one month after she was hit by a school bus.

Born in the U.S., Giuffre said she met Ghislaine Maxwell, former girlfriend of Epstein, at 17 and suffered years of abuse by Epstein, his associates and Prince Andrew. She was the first victim in the Epstein case to go public in 2015 and became a vocal advocate for sexual abuse victims, particularly during the Me Too movement.

Giuffre was found unresponsive at her farm in Western Australia Friday night, where she lived with her three children and husband, BBC reported. "The death is being investigated by Major Crime detectives," West Australia police said in a statement. "Early indication is the death is not suspicious."

On March 30, Giuffre posted a photo of her in a hospital bed, claiming she was days away from renal failure after a traumatic collision with a school bus loaded with children. Giuffre claimed the school bus was traveling 70 mph. However, parents of students aboard the bus and police reports dispute the severity of the crash.

A police report reviewed by The Telegraph reported "no injuries reported as a result of the crash," no vehicle damage was recorded and the bus driver, Ross Munns, claimed he was traveling below the posted speed limit of 45 mph.

"Let's be clear, she never stated in the bus accident the cause of all her other injuries," Giuffre's brother, Sky Roberts told People following the accident. Giuffre had recently separated from her husband of 22 years, accusing him of domestic violence. She was hospitalized on January 9 with a cracked sternum and perforated eye following an alleged assault. Due to an active court case, Giuffre was prohibited from discussing the allegations publicly, according to her lawyer.

"I was able to fight back against Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein, who abused and trafficked me. But I was unable to escape the domestic violence in my marriage until recently," Giuffre told People just weeks before her death.

Epstein was arrested in 2019 and his death was ruled a suicide roughly one month later. Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison for participating in Epstein's operation grooming and trafficking minors. Prince Andrew has denied all allegations against him, but stepped away from royal duties in 2019 and in 2022 settled a civil suit with Giuffre out of court.

Prince Andrew's former girlfriend Lady Victoria Hervey reacted to the news of Giuffre's suicide on Instagram, posting a screenshot of the news with the caption, "When lies catch up with you, there's no way out." She has previously accused Giuffre of faking a widely-circulated photo of Prince Andrew with his arm around the waist of a teenage Giuffre.

"She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking," a statement from Giuffre's family said. "In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight."

Long-time spokesperson for Giuffre, Dini von Mueffling described Giuffre as "a beacon to other survivors and victims," and "one of the most extraordinary human beings I have ever had the honor to know."

"Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking," her family's statement said. "She was the light that lifted so many survivors."