By CAROLINE GRAHAM and MARK HOOKHAM, ASSISTANT EDITOR (INVESTIGATIONS)

Jeffrey Epstein secretly bankrolled Sarah Ferguson for 15 years, astonishing new emails claim.

The convicted paedophile complained to friends about the disgraced duchess's scrounging ways in messages that suggest his financial support went far beyond the £15,000 she admitted taking from him.

In the previously unseen emails, Epstein reveals Fergie was so desperate to cosy up to him that 'she was the first to celebrate' his release from jail 'with her two daughters in tow'. Princess Beatrice would have been 20 at the time and Eugenie 19, the same age as many of his victims.

The shocking claims are contained in a huge tranche of documents under review by the US Congress. They are set to be released once they have been redacted to protect the identity of hundreds of young girls Epstein raped and sexually abused.

The sordid nature of Fergie's relationship with the paedophile and the chummy tone of their correspondence makes sickening reading that will repulse the sex offender's many victims.

Emails seen by The Mail on Sunday show:

Fergie begged to borrow $50,000 to $100,000 to help with 'small bills';She asked to visit Epstein's private island, joking whether her financial woes made it 'unavailable to bankrupts?'Epstein paid off debts the duchess owed a former employee but became angry when she failed to pay him back as promised;While disavowing Epstein in public, Fergie kept up contact and let him help set up a charity for her;Epstein brazenly gave Fergie 'talking points' before she was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey.

Emails from Jeffrey Epstein reveal Fergie was so desperate to cosy up to him that 'she was the first to celebrate' his release from jail 'with her two daughters in tow'. The former Duchess (M) pictured with Princess Eugenie (L) and Princess Beatrice (R), at a film premiere in 2009.

The convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein bankrolled the former duchess for 15 years (Pictured in 2017 in prison mugshot)

Tonight a well-placed source said: 'Sarah and Prince Andrew have always maintained they distanced themselves from Epstein after his conviction for child prostitution. In fact, it was Epstein who ended up dumping them. He got sick and tired of Sarah constantly asking him for money.

'She borrowed far more money off him than has ever come out. In public she said one thing but in private she was always holding out the begging bowl.'

Last month, the MoS revealed how Fergie wrote to Epstein calling him a 'supreme friend', just weeks after giving an interview claiming she would 'never have anything to do with' the sex offender ever again - reviving the scandal that saw her and Andrew relinquish their titles on Friday.

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In the London Evening Standard interview of March 7, 2011 Fergie issued a 'heartfelt apology' for accepting £15,000 from Epstein and called it 'a giant error of judgment'.

The comment angered the financier, who sent an email to his friend, French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, that day, complaining: 'The duchess that I have financially helped for 15 years said that she wants nothing to do with a paedophile and child sex abuser. It has caused quite a stir.'

Brunel was later arrested on rape charges and killed himself in jail in 2022, three years after Epstein's own jail suicide.

Epstein demanded Fergie write him a public letter of apology over the interview and threatened to sue her if she did not.

The tranche of emails contain various drafts of the letter. One read: 'Dear Jeffrey, I wanted you to know with certainty that many things said in the press about you that were attributed to me were either a totally malicious fabrication or an outrageous exaggeration... There was never a claim of paedophilia... You have been a loyal friend of my family for many years.'

The sordid nature of Fergie's relationship with the paedophile and the chummy tone of their correspondence makes sickening reading that will repulse the sex offender's many victims

A well-placed source said: 'Sarah and Prince Andrew have always maintained they distanced themselves from Epstein after his conviction for child prostitution' (Pictured together in Central Park in 2011)

An email exchange between Fergie and Epstein gives some indication of their cordial relationship

The denial of paedophilia hinged on Epstein's insistence that the crime he was initially punished for - having sex with a 16-year-old - would not have been illegal in the UK where the age of consent is 16. But in Florida, where some of his crimes took place, the age is 18.

In another email, on April 7, 2011, Epstein again insisted that Fergie 'should affirmatively state that she was misquoted' in the Standard.

He wrote to his British lawyer Paul Tweed saying: '[Fergie] took apartments in New York. She was the first to celebrate my release with her two daughters in tow. She visited me with [a] policeman sitting at my front desk. She has asked for help with her charities.'

He revealed he bought her the web address Mother's Army, adding: 'The fact that I bought it, if it were to be disclosed by her leaking staff, would be problematic.'

On April 25, Fergie revealed she had dragged her daughter into her sordid world. She told Epstein that immediately after her interview with the Standard, she had talked to Beatrice and then called editor Geordie Greig, who had conducted it, to tell him he should 'NOT in any way... go down the P [paedophile] route'. She said she wanted to 'make sure he understood the severity of NOT making a mistake'.

The emails offer more proof that Fergie continued to suck up to Epstein despite publicly disowning him. On August 1, 2011, Epstein wrote: 'When you first got in trouble you said to me, 'Jeffrey, I know that as I told everyone, you're either on the team or off. I knew you were always on my team.' That was right.' The duchess responded: 'I am on yours and you on mine. With great love and strength.'

Earlier emails show how close the pair were, despite Epstein having admitted to soliciting a minor for prostitution in a 'sweetheart deal' that led to 13 months in a low-security jail with day release.

He was let out in July 2009 and remained under house arrest until July 21, 2010. He exchanged a number of emails with Fergie in that time. In June 2010, Sarah told Epstein: 'I will never forget your kindness and friendship at this time' to which he replied: 'A-team or no team. It's your line.'

It has been revealed that Epstein brazenly gave her 'talking points' before she was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey (Pictured on the show in 2011)

Last month, the MoS revealed how Fergie wrote to Epstein calling him a 'supreme friend', just weeks after giving an interview claiming she would 'never have anything to do with' again (Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson at the Duchess of Kent's funeral in September 2025)

On January 16, 2010, Sarah wrote: 'Is there any chance I could borrow 50 or 100,000 US dollars to help get through the small bills that are pushing me over? Had to ask.'

Epstein was having his bank accounts monitored at the time and said he couldn't help. Undeterred, Sarah told him to 'ask Giuseppe... I would be so grateful.' Epstein replied: 'I could but it would be impolite. You need to address these issues. You are great.'

It is thought this is a reference to New York restaurant owner Giuseppe Cipriani, an old friend of the duchess. Tonight his representative declined to say whether Mr Cipriani gave Fergie money.

Epstein is known to have given Fergie £15,000 to repay a loan from her former personal assistant John O'Sullivan. On January 20, 2011, Epstein told Prince Andrew he had made a payment to O'Sullivan, writing: 'JS done.' Andrew responded 'Fantastic!!! Thank you. Thank you.' The emails suggest Mr O'Sullivan was seeking another $60,000 in unpaid wages. In an email to Andrew on February 28, 2011, Epstein wrote: 'I don't trust him at all and a payment from me... if disclosed to the press, would look like a payoff for the little s***'.

Andrew asked Epstein, 'So I could get it paid by someone else?' to which the financier replied, 'Yes'.

It remains unclear whether this payment was made - and if so by whom. Mr O'Sullivan did not respond to a request for comment.

Several months later - and after the Standard interview - an impatient Epstein asked Fergie for the money back, saying: 'There is little reason to have me questioned on this again and again.'

A source said tonight: 'Andrew and Sarah were in it up to their necks with Epstein. It was always about the money. This was always going to be their downfall.'

Sarah Ferguson's spokesman tonight declined to comment.

Epstein 'bankrolled Fergie for 15 years'