The former husband of Virginia Giuffre, the prominent accuser of Jeffrey Epstein, may become involved in the legal dispute over her estate, according to statements made in an Australian court.
Court Hearing Reveals Potential New Claimant
Robert Giuffre, an Australian martial arts instructor who was married to Virginia from 2002 until shortly before her death, could join as a party seeking access to her estate. This development emerged during a hearing at the Supreme Court of Western Australia on Friday.
Jon Patty, the lawyer representing the former couple's sons Noah and Christian, informed the court that Mr Giuffre might also participate as guardian to their young daughter. The court has prohibited publication of the daughter's name due to her status as a minor.
Ms Giuffre died by suicide in April at age 41 without leaving a valid will, prompting the court to appoint an administrator to oversee her estate. This decision has effectively reopened multiple legal cases in which she was involved.
Multiple Parties Vying for Estate Access
Court filings reveal that Ms Giuffre's two adult sons have applied to manage the estate, but face opposition from Virginia's former lawyer Karrie Louden and former carer Cheryl Myers.
During the brief case management hearing, Mr Patty suggested that an independent party might be appointed to represent the young daughter's interests to prevent any conflict of interest. Registrar Danielle Davies acknowledged that the list of people seeking access to Ms Giuffre's estate could continue to grow.
The estate includes the reported £10 million settlement from Ms Giuffre's lawsuit against Prince Andrew, which was resolved in 2022. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing regarding allegations that he abused Ms Giuffre while she was a minor.
Ongoing Legal Battles and Posthumous Claims
At the time of her death, Ms Giuffre was involved in at least four separate lawsuits, including a $10 million defamation claim filed in 2021 by an individual associated with Epstein.
Australian court documents indicate additional contests over rights to Ms Giuffre's posthumous memoir and various inheritance claims. The memoir's release in October contributed to Andrew being stripped of his royal titles, detailing fresh allegations against the 65-year-old.
Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted paedophile financier, was jailed in 2008 for child sex offences and died by suicide in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on further sex abuse charges.
Registrar Davies has given all parties until Monday to submit additional documents outlining their claims and indicated that a date for the next case management hearing would be scheduled in 2026.
