Sarah Ferguson visited Jeffrey Epstein twice while he served his sex offender sentence, and her own emails reveal why

Sarah Ferguson, the former Duchess of York, visited Jeffrey Epstein twice while he served his 13 month sentence for child solicitation in Florida in 2009, according to unearthed emails. As detailed by The Telegraph, the correspondence shows a friendly rapport between the two during a period when Epstein was supposedly under strict state supervision. Ferguson referred to Epstein as her “dear spectacular and special friend Jeffrey” in one message, and mentioned stopping by his office for a “quick cup of tea” to drop off charity documents.

Epstein pleaded guilty and surrendered to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office in July 2008, then secured a work release arrangement that critics and survivors have long called a “sweetheart deal.” The deal allowed him to leave custody for up to 16 hours a day, six days a week, time he spent at an office in downtown West Palm Beach.

He told authorities he was working for a charitable organization he had just established called the Florida Science Foundation. Epstein was transported between the jail and his office by his bodyguard and driver, Igor Zinoviev, while his personal attorney, Darren Indyke, was listed as his official supervisor.

The arrangement has continued to draw scrutiny from attorneys

The second meeting between Ferguson and Epstein reportedly occurred in May 2009. In an email about that visit, Ferguson asked to be picked up by Epstein’s driver and chauffeured to the Palm Beach office, then asked to be driven to Miami afterward, writing, “Please with roses on top.” Documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, along with FBI interviews, indicate the SUV used for his daily commutes was outfitted with a bed.

One woman who had been involved with Epstein for years told the FBI that she engaged in sexual activity with him in that vehicle while it was parked in the jail lot, and that she also had virtual sexual contact with him by webcam while he was supposedly alone in custody. She reportedly never appeared on the official visitor logs that off-duty sheriff’s deputies were hired to maintain.

Florida attorney Spencer Kuvin, who represented many of Epstein’s accusers, called the situation “absolutely disgusting” and said the preferential treatment Epstein received was tied to his wealth and influence. The scrutiny echoes findings in other unredacted material, including newly released federal investigation documents tied to the broader Epstein case.

The Palm Beach Sheriff’s Department has said it has no evidence to substantiate claims of improper behavior during that period. Lauren Hersh, director of the anti-trafficking group World Without Exploitation, said the arrangement reflected a system that prioritized Epstein’s comfort over justice for his victims. A separate review of evidence removed before a raid on his Palm Beach mansion has fed into similar questions about oversight during that period.

Epstein died by suicide in a federal lockup in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal child sex trafficking charges. CBS News has reported that the 2009 sentence and the access granted to visitors like Ferguson remain a point of scrutiny in reviews of how Epstein navigated the justice system. Ferguson has not responded to requests for comment on the visits.