Sarah Ferguson's friend, Manuel Fernandez, used his links to the palace to threaten a worker with jail. BBC reports that the worker, who held a role at Fernandez's lifestyle app, vVoosh, would be investigated by police for allegedly putting royal security at risk.

The worker allegedly hacked emails. Manuel was a business partner of Sarah's and she was an investor and ambassador for the business. The worker claims that Manuel used his connection to impress investors. Manuel said he "strongly disputed" allegations regarding his conduct and vVoosh's financial position.

Manuel is from Essex, and he started out as a soldier before becoming a businessman. Between 2015 and 2017, he was regularly photographed with Sarah.

Sarah denied any romantic involvement with Manuel and reinforced that they were friends and business partners.

vVoosh was based in Shoreditch, London. The business collapsed without ever launching a product. It had planned to launch a social networking service similar to Facebook. Ms Ferguson owned about 1% of the shares and loaned the company about £50,000, according to company filings.

The BBC reports that recordings, letters and WhatsApp chats from a former company insider raise further questions about the people Ferguson associated with. Representatives for Sarah Ferguson did not reply to the BBC.

They also pose questions about how much she knew about how one of her close contacts used and allegedly misused his royal connections.

The staff member at vVoosh worked there for around six years, reports BBC. In a meeting, which was recorded by the employee to "protect himself", Manuel and another person, Mark Harry, a soldier turned security advisor, threaten the employee with jail for allegedly hacking emails.

Mark says he understands "that this matter was handled by the appropriate authorities at the time. I strongly dispute the allegations made." They "clearly imply" that the emails hacked are those of Sarah Ferguson with Manuel saying he has breached the "Palace's confidentiality agreement". The employee denies hacking.

Mr Fernandez told the BBC: "I strongly dispute a number of allegations that have been made concerning both my conduct and financial position in relation to the company.

"Certain concerns regarding former contractors and internal data/security matters were previously reported to the appropriate authorities and reviewed by legal advisers. To my knowledge, no action was taken against me arising from those allegations."

The employee was left "crying in the street" having been "threatened" by the pair. The man was eventually arrested and interviewed for three hours for alleged email hacking. While no charges were brought, he believes that Fernandez went through with his threats to go to the police.

The Daily Express has contacted the Met Police and representatives for Sarah Ferguson for comment.

Fernandez went to school at Billericay in Essex and was a soldier in the Royal Anglian Regiment before working at several tech companies, according to his LinkedIn page.

He founded his lifestyle app vVoosh in 2010 and raised nearly £9million in funding over several years.

The £1million of taxpayer's money came through the government's research and development tax credits, according to documents filed by the administrator seen by the BBC.

Fernandez lived in a £1.3million North London home but sold the property in 2024. It is reportedly thought he may have left the UK.