Prince Andrew and his legal team accused of 'stonewalling'
August 11, 2021, 7:31 am

Prince Andrew

According to the Sky News, the New York lawyer who is taking Prince Andrew to court over allegations of sexual assault has accused the prince and his legal team of "stonewalling".

When speaking to Sky News, David Boies said the Duke of York and Blackfords, the law firm representing him, have failed to engage with him and his client Virginia Giuffre for five years.

Mr Boies said: "We've reached out to Prince Andrew's legal team, a number of times over the last five years, we've made an attempt to engage with him to give him an opportunity to tell his side of the story, to provide any explanation or context, that he might have for his actions to try to resolve this without the necessity of litigation.

"Every such effort has been rebuffed."

He added: "They have totally stonewalled us just like they've stonewalled the criminal prosecutors in the United States.

"As a result, we've not been able to have a dialogue with him. They have been totally uncooperative, not only with us, but with all of the lawyers representing victims of Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking."

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Those representing Prince Andrew said they had no comment on the claims made by Mr Boies.

On Monday night, the lawsuit was filed in the US accusing Prince Andrew of sexually abusing Virginia Giuffre.

Ms Giuffre says she was a victim of financier and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and claims she was made to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17, but he has always categorically denied any sexual contact or relationship with her.

In a BBC Newsnight interview in 2019, Prince Andrew said he had never had sex with Ms Giuffre, saying: "I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened."

The duke said he had "no recollection" of ever meeting her and that there were "a number of things that are wrong" about her account.

He has also suggested a photo showing him with his arm around Ms Giuffre may have been doctored.

The lawsuit filed on Monday afternoon in a federal court in Manhattan alleges the prince abused Ms Giuffre on three occasions when she was under 18, nearly two decades ago.

Asked if he felt the lawsuit would be enough to get Prince Andrew to answer questions about the allegations, Mr Boies said: "Prince Andrew is going to have to now. He can't ignore the process.

"He can ignore me and ignore my client. He can ignore other victims and their lawyers, but he can't ignore the court.

"The court process now is going to compel him. If he were to try to ignore the court the way he's ignored us, there would be a default judgment entered against them.

"That could be enforced in the United States or in England or elsewhere in the world. So I don't think he's going to ignore the court. And as a result, he's going to be held to account."

Last year, Andrew's legal team said they had been cooperating with authorities in America on the Jeffrey Epstein case, saying the prince had offered himself as a witness on three separate occasions.

Since the allegations from Ms Giuffre first became public in 2015 he has consistently said they are "false and without foundation".

Because this new lawsuit is a civil case and not a criminal case, Prince Andrew cannot be extradited to America - but there are established legal processes in place for transatlantic civil matters where people are being sued that could be used if a court decides he must give evidence.

Mr Boies said it wasn't easy for his client Ms Giuffre to bring the case forward under the New York Child Victims Act, but she wanted to show that even those in positions of power can be held accountable.

He said: "I think it was not a decision that she took lightly because she's a wife and mother she has responsibilities to her family. She knows that this will take time, be disruptive.

"She knows from past experience that Prince Andrew and his surrogates will engage in extensive attacks on her. And no one enjoys being the recipient of those kinds of attacks.

"However, she has committed herself to trying to bring to account the people who have abused her, not only to vindicate herself but also to try to make sure as much as you can, that what happened to her doesn't happen to other girls."

Mr Boies confirmed to Sky News that new evidence and new witness statements will form part of their case when it comes to court for trial, and he anticipates that could be as early as the middle of next year.

Source: skynews
Image source: skynews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.