Sarah Ferguson called Jeffrey Epstein 'a legend' after visiting him during prison work release, emails reveal

Sarah Ferguson met Jeffrey Epstein on two separate occasions at the Palm Beach headquarters of a sham company he established to obtain work release privileges while serving time for procuring a minor for prostitution.

The former Duchess of York visited the convicted paedophile at the Florida Science Foundation office during his imprisonment between June 2008 and July 2009, with email correspondence revealing she described him as "a legend" and expressed eagerness to tap into his "genius ideas."

A third planned meeting at the bogus foundation's premises was abandoned when her travel arrangements collapsed.

Victims have recently alleged that Epstein sexually abused them at the office on 250 South Australian Avenue whilst supposedly incarcerated at the nearby Palm Beach County Stockade.

On April 4, 2009, nine months into Epstein's sentence, Ms Ferguson messaged the financier requesting "a quick cup of tea" during a Florida stopover, signing off: "Love Sarah The red Head.!!"

Epstein provided the office address, noting it was "ten minutes from [the] airport."

Following the visit, where she delivered documents about her Mother's Army charitable initiative, Ms Ferguson wrote: "My dear spectacular and special friend Jeffrey. You are a legend, and I am so proud of you. Thank you for looking after me so well."

She attempted to arrange another meeting for April 20, emailing three times about lunch plans and expressing determination to spend an hour "for a brainstorming of your genius ideas."

That visit never materialised after Ms Ferguson messaged that morning: "Aaaaghhh... Cannot make the flights."

Her second confirmed visit occurred on May 13, 2009, with Epstein's driver collecting her from the airport alongside Martin Huberty, her chief of staff.

During the same week as Ms Ferguson's second visit, Lord Mandelson telephoned Epstein at the Palm Beach office from London, informing the financier that things were "still riotous here politically" amid the MPs' expenses scandal fallout.

The then-business secretary made contact again approximately a month later, this time via Skype while staying at Epstein's New York townhouse.

Epstein's assistant arranged for the video call to take place in what she described as the tycoon's own version of the "Oval Office for Mr Mandelson."

Four weeks after that call, Epstein was released from custody.

Lord Mandelson, who has since been stripped of various titles and honours due to his Epstein connections, has maintained he "never saw any evidence of criminal activity" during his association with the paedophile.

Roza, one of Epstein's estimated 1,200 abuse victims, informed Congress in May that he had offered her employment at the foundation during his incarceration and subsequently abused her at the premises.

Sarah Kellen, Epstein's former assistant, testified to Congress earlier this month that she had helped coordinate meetings with Ms Ferguson "at Jeffrey's office in Palm Beach while he was on work release and at the house in Palm Beach."

Emails that emerged earlier this year indicated Ms Ferguson later brought Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie to see Epstein following his July 2009 release onto house arrest, with Epstein telling Ghislaine Maxwell: "Ferg and the two girls came."

When Ms Ferguson subsequently attempted to distance herself from the paedophile, Epstein mocked her efforts, telling an associate: "There were law enforcement people in my office when I was on work release that let her in."

A spokesman for Ms Ferguson previously told GB News: “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.”

GB News has contacted Lord Mandelson for comment.

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