Sarah Ferguson described Jeffrey Epstein as brother she always wished for, emails reveal

Newly released US Justice Department emails show Sarah Ferguson praising Jeffrey Epstein after his 2009 conviction

According to emails made public as part of a large-scale document release by the US Justice Department, Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, described convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as “the brother I have always wished for.” The email, dated August 2009, was sent weeks after Epstein was released from prison following a conviction related to prostituting minors.

In the message, Ferguson thanked Epstein for what she described as kindness shown toward her and her daughters, adding that spending time with him had lifted her spirits. The correspondence forms part of more than three million pages of records, along with thousands of videos and images, disclosed by US authorities in their latest Epstein-related release.

The documents provide additional insight into Ferguson’s interactions with Epstein in the years following his conviction. Several emails suggest Epstein sought assistance from Ferguson in addressing public allegations against him. In messages exchanged with publicist Mike Sitrick in March 2011, Epstein discussed encouraging Ferguson to issue a public statement asserting that he was not a paedophile and claiming she had been misled by false information.

In replies included in the released records, Sitrick emphasized the importance of a retraction and discussed the possibility of applying pressure, including drafting a potential defamation lawsuit, if Ferguson did not cooperate. Epstein later responded that they could not rely on Ferguson alone and would need alternative strategies.

The documents also reference emails in which Ferguson reportedly apologized to Epstein for previously linking him to paedophilia in media coverage, describing him as loyal and generous. Some of these messages were sent shortly after Ferguson publicly stated she would sever all ties with Epstein and expressed regret for accepting £15,000 from him.

In a March 2011 interview with the Evening Standard, Ferguson said accepting the money had been a serious error of judgment and stated she would never associate with Epstein again. However, subsequent emails included in the Justice Department release indicate she later contacted Epstein privately, apologizing and expressing fear following public scrutiny.

Several charities cut ties with Ferguson in September after earlier emails surfaced referring to Epstein as a “supreme friend.” Ferguson has been contacted for comment regarding the newly released documents.