Prince Andrew questioned in sweeping Epstein ranch probe as staff break silence

More than a dozen former employees from Zorro Ranch, including housekeepers, ranch hands and long-serving managers, are being interviewed by investigators working for the state’s Department of Justice. They have been asked who stayed at the sprawling New Mexico estate and what they saw.

Sources say the former Duke’s visits were among the key lines of questioning. One justice source said: “They’re going back through everything. Anyone who worked there is being spoken to. They want a full picture of what went on.

Led by Raúl Torrez, the Attorney General of New Mexico, the investigation is a criminal probe in which detectives are examining a wide range of Epstein’s visitors, including Prince Andrew. They have vowed to follow any evidence wherever it leads.

“The staff have been asked about guests to the property. It includes the former prince who stayed at the ranch. Detectives are trying to build up a picture of what he, Epstein and others did while at Zorro.”

According to former staff and Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre, who died last year, Andrew, 66, visited Zorro on several occasions. The former prince is alleged to have formed a close relationship with a glamorous neurosurgeon while visiting the property, who is also sought for questioning by investigators.

Zorro Ranch, a vast 10,000-acre property outside Santa Fe, has long been shrouded in secrecy. It was one of Epstein’s most remote homes, far from public scrutiny and rarely photographed. For years, it has been at the centre of speculation about what took place behind its gates.

Former staff have described being contacted and asked to give detailed accounts of their time at the ranch. Some have been questioned about day-to-day operations.

Others about high-profile guests and unusual activity. One former employee said: “They’re asking about everything, particularly (former) Prince Andrew and the other high-profile guests. Who stayed, how long they were there, what they were doing. It’s very detailed. Nothing’s being brushed over.”

Those questioned so far have also been warned not to destroy any material connected to their time there. The former ranch hand added: “We’ve all been told the same thing: don’t delete anything, don’t throw anything away. They want every single detail from our time there.”

The instruction suggests investigators believe important evidence may still exist years after Epstein’s 2019 death. This week, the bipartisan investigatory subcommittee in New Mexico examining Epstein’s life appointed a specialist law firm to support its criminal probe, which it opened in February.

The panel confirmed bringing in Fadduol, Cluff, Hardy & Conaway, P.C. as special counsel. The firm will help gather evidence, provide legal guidance and coordinate closely with the state’s Department of Justice as the investigation progresses.

While most attention has previously centred on Epstein’s properties in New York, Palm Beach and the Caribbean, Zorro Ranch has remained a key part of abuse allegations.

Staff questioned include those who worked inside the main residence as well as those responsible for maintaining the vast grounds. Ranch hands, cleaners, administrative staff and senior managers have all been approached.

“They’re casting the net wide,” the justice source added. “It’s not just one or two people. It’s anyone who might have seen something or remembered something important.”

Among the areas of interest are guest lists, movements on and off the property, and who had access to different parts of the estate. Zorro Ranch has also been linked to deeply troubling claims about Epstein’s long-term ambitions for the site.

Reports have previously suggested he discussed plans to turn the remote compound into a so-called “baby-making” facility, where women would be brought to have children bearing his DNA. Sources say investigators are also asking about Brit Clare Iveagh, a regular visitor to Zorro who later married into the Guinness brewing dynasty. Lady Guinness died in December.

Her connection to Epstein’s wider circle is now part of the inquiry, as officials seek to determine relationships linked to the ranch. It is not suggested that those being questioned have done anything wrong. They are being treated as potential witnesses, not suspects.

But the scope of the investigation is significant. Epstein, who died while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, maintained an extensive network of contacts across the worlds of business, politics and royalty. His properties, including Zorro Ranch, were used to host guests for many years.

The former Duke of York has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. He has said he has no recollection of meeting Giuffre, who accused him of sexual abuse in a civil case in the United States. That case was later settled without any admission of liability.