Anderson recounted how Jeffrey Epstein approached him with a proposal prior to a scheduled photoshoot. Epstein wanted to negotiate the purchase of the images post-publication, expressing his desire for exclusive ownership once they appeared in the magazine.

Upon arriving at Epstein’s residence, Anderson was greeted by a young woman with an Eastern European accent. He later observed her preparing a massage table in another room. Following this, Epstein’s private secretary, Lesley Groff, made an appearance.

Epstein proposed a $20,000 offer for the photos, a deal that received approval from New York Magazine.

“At that time, it felt like a fortune to me,” Anderson explained. “I had a young family and was living paycheck to paycheck.”

He recalled Epstein personally writing a check and handing it over to him.

But their short-lived professional relationship took a turn several days later when the financier decided to pull out of the story.

Epstein called to demand the photos, Anderson said, but he refused to hand them over, saying they were not his until after publication.

“Then the threats started,” he said.

Anderson claimed Epstein sent his bodyguard and driver Merwin, described as a “massive guy in a long black overcoat and black, leather gloves”, to his studio to intimidate him.

“The magazine killed the story, too. So I cashed the check and Merwin came by again to collect the hard drive and make sure I didn’t have any more copies of the photos,” he said.

Until today, when Anderson found a copy on an old hard drive.

He has shared the six images on social media, which include framed photos of Richard Branson, Bill Clinton and Woody Allen, a black-and-white close-up and Epstein making a call at a desk behind a stuffed tiger.

One of the images contains a printed email on his desk of an exchange between Epstein and the UK royal government office concerning payment from a duke and duchess.

It is unclear which duke and duchess he is referring to.

However, former prince Andrew, who was the Duke of York, recently had his royal titles, duties and lodge stripped from him by his brother King Charles over renewed scrutiny over his relationship with Epstein.