Prince Andrew Accused of Hosting Crypto Executives at Buckingham Palace Linked to £1.4 Million Payment to Sarah Ferguson
New revelations have emerged that Prince Andrew arranged a private Buckingham Palace tour for two American businessmen behind a failed cryptocurrency mining firm that had agreed to pay his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, up to £1.4 million.
According to a BBC investigation, the visit took place in June 2019, when the late Queen Elizabeth II was in residence. The businessmen — Jay Bloom, an entrepreneur, and Michael Evers, a former actor — were co-founders of Pegasus Group Holdings, a U.S.-based company promoting a Bitcoin-mining venture that would ultimately collapse, leaving investors millions of pounds out of pocket.
Private Palace Tour Arranged by Prince Andrew
The two businessmen were collected from their five-star Knightsbridge hotel and driven through Buckingham Palace gates in Prince Andrew’s personal Range Rover. The men were escorted inside by palace greeters and taken on a private tour — an experience typically unavailable to the public.
Mr. Evers told the BBC that they briefly met Queen Elizabeth II during the visit, describing the encounter as short and informal. However, Mr. Bloom disputed this, saying he did not meet the monarch and was only shown to Prince Andrew’s office.
Both men later attended the Pitch@Palace event, a business-pitching competition hosted by the Duke at St. James’s Palace, before joining Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, and Princess Beatrice for dinner that evening.
The Failed Pegasus Crypto Project
At the time, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was working as a brand ambassador for Pegasus Group Holdings. The company planned to power thousands of solar generators in Arizona’s desert to support Bitcoin mining operations.
The project promised investors major returns but quickly unraveled. Of the planned 16,000 solar units, only 615 were ever purchased, generating just £25,000 worth of cryptocurrency before the venture collapsed.
In 2021, angry investors filed lawsuits against Pegasus, alleging that millions of dollars were unaccounted for. A U.S. tribunal later ordered Jay Bloom to repay $4.1 million, although he is still appealing the decision.
Lavish Payments and Contract Clauses
Sarah Ferguson’s contract with Pegasus revealed that she received more than £200,000 upfront and was promised bonuses worth up to £1.2 million. The Duchess also received a stake in the business as part of her compensation.
According to the leaked contract, Ferguson was entitled to first-class travel, five-star accommodation, and the services of a professional hairdresser and makeup artist for up to four company events per year.
Interestingly, the document also stated that the Duchess did not present herself as an expert on the solar or cryptocurrency industries, disclaiming any responsibility for the accuracy of information used in Pegasus promotions.
From Royal Circles to Desert Crypto Ventures
Sarah Ferguson first met Jay Bloom in Las Vegas in 2018, during a convention where she was promoting one of her children’s books. The two quickly struck up a friendship and later began collaborating professionally.
Pegasus documents described Ferguson’s role as helping to “engage with clients, investors, and strategic relationships” and to spearhead the company’s philanthropic outreach.
For Bloom, the relationship opened doors into royal circles, leading to visits to Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Palace, and the Royal Lodge in Windsor, where Ferguson and Andrew reside. He also attended family dinners with Princess Beatrice and other royal relatives in multiple countries.
Prior to launching Pegasus, Bloom had faced controversy in Las Vegas over a failed “Mob Experience” museum, where he was accused of missing investor payments — allegations he denied, promising to reimburse those affected.
How the Palace Visit Came About
According to Mr. Evers, the crypto businessmen’s close ties with Ferguson eventually led to private tours of royal properties, culminating in the exclusive Buckingham Palace visit.
Evers said, “We were in London once a month, and each time our relationship grew closer. They started offering tours and introducing us to more and more people.”
On that June afternoon, Bloom and Evers were driven through palace gates by Andrew’s chauffeur. Video footage later reviewed by the BBC confirmed that palace security was expecting their arrival, as the gates were opened and a greeter awaited them in the courtyard.
While Bloom initially downplayed the visit as a “tourist experience,” his own social media posts contradicted him — showing footage of the palace and comments about “spending time with Andrew” and “the pictures I can post and the ones I can’t.”
When pressed, Bloom admitted that he had in fact been “shown to Andrew’s office” and thanked him and Ferguson for arranging the private visit.
A Desert Launch with Helicopters and Gold Shovels
In September 2019, Pegasus held a high-profile groundbreaking event in the Arizona desert to promote its new solar-powered crypto-mining project.
Sarah Ferguson and celebrity life coach Tony Robbins were flown to the site in black-and-gold helicopters, where they posed for cameras with gold spades and hard hats.
The launch was heavily staged, with armed guards carrying rifles and pistols standing by as Ferguson praised Pegasus for its “innovative potential” and spoke about using the technology for “philanthropic projects in Africa.”
Photos from the event showed Ferguson smiling beside Michael Evers in a private jet — part of the luxurious perks outlined in her Pegasus contract.
Payments Through Mysterious UK Company
Curiously, Ferguson’s payments did not come directly from Pegasus. Instead, her 2019 contract was signed with Alphabet Capital, a UK-based company owned by Adrian Gleave, who managed caravan parks and holiday resorts.
Court documents later revealed that Alphabet Capital paid Ferguson over £200,000 for her Pegasus-related work.
Even more intriguingly, Prince Andrew himself received £60,500 traced back to Gleave and his business accounts. Neither Andrew nor Gleave has offered an explanation for these payments.
Jay Bloom insists he has no connection to Gleave or Alphabet Capital, stating, “I have never heard of them. Pegasus had no business relationship with that company.”
Growing Scrutiny on Royal Finances and Ethics
The revelations have added to long-standing questions about how Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson fund their lifestyle and business ventures.
In the wake of the scandal — and amid public outrage over his past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew is being formally stripped of his royal titles and will lose his Windsor residence.
Both Andrew and Ferguson declined to answer the BBC’s detailed questions about their involvement with Pegasus or their personal financial arrangements with Jay Bloom.
The situation has reignited debate about the blurred lines between royal privilege and private enterprise, with critics arguing that Andrew repeatedly used his royal status to attract wealthy business partners seeking prestige and influence.
The Fallout and Legal Battles Continue
Pegasus Group Holdings collapsed less than a year after its high-profile launch. Investors who poured money into the Arizona project accused Bloom and others of financial mismanagement and deception.
The U.S. tribunal’s $4.1 million judgment against Bloom was seen as a major win for investors, but the entrepreneur continues to challenge the ruling, maintaining that Pegasus’s downfall was due to “market forces” rather than misconduct.
Meanwhile, Sarah Ferguson has distanced herself from the project, claiming she had no knowledge of its financial issues and was merely a “promotional partner.”
A Royal Scandal That Won’t Fade
This latest revelation comes as Prince Andrew’s reputation remains deeply tarnished. From his association with Epstein to his failed business ventures and controversial financial dealings, the Duke of York continues to attract unwanted headlines.
Critics argue that his decision to invite businessmen behind a dubious crypto scheme into Buckingham Palace — while the Queen was at home — symbolizes a troubling pattern of poor judgment and entitlement.
For many in Britain, the story reinforces the growing belief that the monarchy must establish clear boundaries to prevent royals from leveraging their positions for private or commercial gain.
As investigations into Pegasus and related payments continue, both Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson now face renewed scrutiny over how their personal connections, royal status, and business interests became so dangerously entangled.