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Royal connections allegedly used to intimidate former contractor
A recording obtained by the BBC reveals that Manuel Fernandez, a close associate of Sarah Ferguson, threatened a former employee of their failed tech startup with imprisonment by invoking palace security concerns. The worker, identified only as "Alex," claims Fernandez exploited his ties to the Duchess of York to pressure staff and investors.
Background: The failed startup and Ferguson's role
vVoosh, a London-based social networking startup modeled after Facebook, collapsed in 2025 without ever launching a product. Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was both an investor and an "ambassador" for the company, holding approximately 1% of shares and loaning it £50,000, according to corporate filings. She was frequently photographed with Fernandez, a former soldier turned entrepreneur, between 2015 and 2017, though she denied any romantic involvement, describing their relationship as strictly professional.
The company, based in Shoreditch, raised over £9 million from investors, including £1 million in government tax credits. Administrators are now pursuing a former director-believed to be Fernandez-for £324,609 in disputed debts. Reports suggest Fernandez may have left the UK, with company assets recently discovered in a Rome storage facility.
The confrontation: Threats and alleged hacking claims
In June 2017, Alex, a senior contractor owed thousands in unpaid invoices, was summoned to a meeting with Fernandez after receiving a WhatsApp message stating Fernandez had been called to "an urgent meeting at B Palace regarding the company because of the VIP shareholders." Suspicious, Alex recorded the encounter on his phone.
During the meeting, a man identified as Mark Harry-a former soldier and security adviser-confiscated Alex's second phone, claiming it belonged to the company. Harry refused to allow Alex to retrieve personal data. "I was so scared because this guy was, like, three times my size," Alex later told the BBC.
In the recording, Fernandez and Harry accused Alex of hacking emails, specifically implying those belonging to Ferguson, and threatened him with jail under the Computer Misuse Act. Fernandez claimed Alex had breached a "Palace confidentiality agreement," while Harry warned that the matter would become a "number one priority" for Scotland Yard, jeopardizing "the integrity and the security of our royal family."
Alex denies the allegations, stating that Ferguson's company email account was never activated, causing her messages to forward to a shared inbox. He described the meeting as deeply unsettling, recounting how he was left crying in the street afterward. A passing police officer stopped to check on him.
Legal fallout and unanswered questions
Following the meeting, Alex filed a police report, but the Metropolitan Police declined to pursue a case. In October 2017, Alex was arrested and questioned for three hours over alleged email hacking, but no charges were filed. He believes Fernandez followed through on his threats to involve authorities.
The Met Police declined to comment, and Buckingham Palace stated it could not address Ferguson's personal affairs. Harry, the security adviser, told the BBC he believed the matter was "handled by the appropriate authorities at the time" and disputed the allegations. Fernandez strongly denied misconduct, stating that concerns about contractors and data security were "previously reported to the appropriate authorities and reviewed by legal advisers."
Despite the lack of legal action, Alex continued to receive letters from vVoosh's law firm until March 2018, accusing him of data theft and questioning his work quality. No further legal proceedings materialized.
Ferguson's involvement and broader controversies
Alex claims Ferguson was a regular presence at vVoosh's headquarters and that Fernandez frequently invoked her royal connections to impress investors and staff. He alleges Fernandez even spent Christmas at Royal Lodge, Ferguson's Windsor mansion, and discussed enlisting her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, as spokespeople for the company. While the princesses visited the office, the plan never progressed.
Alex believes Ferguson must have been aware of Fernandez's conduct, given her involvement in the company. "She must have known. If she didn't know, she was deluding herself," he said. "When you spend any time with him, you know what he is like."
Ferguson's associations have long drawn scrutiny. Her friendship with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, whom she called a "supreme friend" in 2011, resurfaced as a scandal last year. US Department of Justice files revealed she had relied on Epstein for financial assistance during her 2009 bankruptcy.
Administrators' findings and Fernandez's whereabouts
The administrators' report on vVoosh's collapse noted that the company's directors-including Fernandez-may face disqualification under the Company Directors Disqualification Act. They also confirmed that company property was found in a Rome storage unit linked to a former director, though they deemed it not worth recovering.
Fernandez's current whereabouts remain unclear, with reports suggesting he relocated to Italy. Representatives for Ferguson did not respond to the BBC's requests for comment.
