Newly released DOJ emails from Epstein’s staff seemingly show that the former Duchess of York requested upgrades to her flight from the disgraced financier

Sarah Ferguson; Jeffrey Epstein.Credit : 

Mike Marsland/WireImage; Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty

Newly released evidence from the Jeffrey Epstein files appear to shed fresh light on Sarah Ferguson’s financial dealings with the late convicted sex offender — including alleged requests that he cover first-class airfare following his release from prison in 2009.

The disclosures emerge as scrutiny around the Duchess of York intensifies in the wake of her ex-husband, the former Prince Andrew’s arrest earlier this month on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his ties to Epstein. Ferguson, who is not facing criminal charges and who has not been accused of any wrongdoing, appears repeatedly in the newly released evidence.

The emails center on a July 2009 trip to the United States, taken just days after Epstein was released from a Florida jail following his guilty plea to soliciting a minor. Ferguson allegedly traveled with her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, at a time when she was in dire financial straits.

In the first of a series of emails dated July 23, 2009, Epstein’s longtime house manager, Lesley Groff, wrote to him that Ferguson’s assistant “Amanda” (believed to be Amanda Lewis, then the former duchess’s assistant) had said he had “kindly offered to pay for the Duchess to come and visit you.”

The following morning, Groff updated Epstein again: “Amanda said the princesses would like to accompany the Duchess and she is wondering if you might be willing to pay for them as well…’

Epstein agreed, then asked where Ferguson and her daughters would be staying during. Groff said she would find out, Epstein then added, “I will also find out how old the girls are!”

Later that day, a redacted sender warned Epstein that matching preferred airports and timing for “the Duchess and the girls” carried “crazy high price tags,” asking whether flexibility was possible. The emails indicate it wasn’t.

On July 30, Groff relayed another alleged request from Ferguson’s assistant requesting an upgrade for the return flight. “The Duchess has asked that she be in First and the girls in Club on the flight back from NYC to LHR apparently Jeffrey said that this woyld [sic] be ok please can you let me know if you can change this,” the released email read.

“I said nothing,, do not respond,” Epstein replied. Groff confirmed she would not.

Sarah Ferguson; Jeffrey Epstein.Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty; Davidoff Studios/Getty

Other emails show Epstein was kept closely informed about Ferguson’s precarious finances. Just days after funding the trip, the financier was forwarded an email from a redacted sender that included a lengthy message that someone named “Sarah,” seemingly referring to Ferguson, [and the contents of the email also allude to ventures that Ferguson had undertaken] apparently sent to her team, pleading with them to help arrange finances.

“A lot of possible revenue streams are slipping through the cracks,” “Sarah” wrote. “We have so many deals, so much focus we do not need to go bankrupt… It is ridiculous.”

Representatives for Ferguson, Beatrice and Eugenie have not responded to PEOPLE’s requests for comment regarding the Epstein files.

Ferguson has been lying low in the week since Andrew’s arrest. She was spotted at a remote wellness retreat in Donegal, Ireland, and seen at the local airport earlier this month, according to The Daily Mail. The Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa seems to be a favorite of hers; in 2024, she posted a TikTok about how the Irish coast was a personal place of refuge.

“I find things get sometimes overwhelming, I just try and take myself off to the most beautiful, wonderful blast of fresh air,” she said in the video.

A spokesperson for Ferguson declined to comment when reached by PEOPLE, and Ballyliffin Lodge & Spa did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. As of late last month, PEOPLE understood that she planned to spend time abroad as she considered her next moves amid the Epstein fallout.