Prince Andrew is “ready to sue for $100 million” if his accuser Virginia Roberts repeats her claims against him in her upcoming book
Prince Andrew is poised to file a $100 million lawsuit against his accuser Virginia Roberts if she repeats sexual claims against him in her forthcoming memoir.
Legal sources close to the prince – who has been consulting US lawyers to overturn a deal he struck with Ms Roberts last year – say he will “attack” should she repeat the allegations.
The Duke of York has hired high-profile LA lawyers Andrew Brettler and Blair Berk to try to get Ms Roberts to withdraw any claims and possibly get an apology. A source familiar with the case told the newspaper last night: “As soon as she writes anything repeating the original allegations against him, she will be hit with a $100million (£81million) defamation lawsuit. Andrew and his lawyers stand ready to continue the attack. Then their claims will be examined in court for the first time.’
Prince Andrew is poised to file a $100 million lawsuit against his accuser Virginia Roberts if she repeats sexual claims against him in her forthcoming memoir
The Duke of York has hired high-profile LA lawyers to get Virginia Roberts (right) to withdraw all claims and possibly get an apology
Ms Roberts’ lawyers declined to comment last night, but a source close to her insists her settlement with the Duke is not preventing her from writing about him, saying: “She will be able to to talk about Prince Andrew.”
Ms Roberts, now 39 and with her married name Giuffre, claimed she was forced to have sex with the prince when she was 17 after being trafficked by convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
In the out-of-court settlement reached last February, Andrew accepted no blame and continues to vigorously deny any wrongdoing. He reportedly paid her £12million, but insiders say the figure was closer to £3million.
His spirits are said to have been “brightened” by a settlement between Ms Roberts and US Attorney Alan Dershowitz in November, in which she admitted she “may have made a mistake” in accusing Mr Dershowitz of abusing her.
Mr Dershowitz said last night: “Virginia Giuffre has now finally realized that she may have made a mistake and I hope this can help unearth the truth about other allegations, including the Prince.”