LONDON  –  Sarah Ferguson, the ex-wife of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was desperate. Almost a decade and a half after her highly public divorce from the former prince in 1996, Ferguson, better known to many as “Fergie” – owed tens of thousands of pounds in rent, was feeling alone, and in search of a new career. On all of these tribulations, Ferguson sought help and advice from her friend Jeffrey Epstein. CNN’s examination of dozens of files in the Justice Department’s “Epstein library” found that Ferguson continually showered Epstein with praise, including after his 2008 conviction in Florida. Messages show that Ferguson affectionately referred to Epstein as her “spectacular and special friend,” “the brother I have always wished for,” and told him “I am so proud of you” while he was serving jail time. More than once, Ferguson quipped that Epstein should marry her. The former duchess, now 66, sought to lean on Epstein for financial help, repeatedly inquiring whether she could borrow money from the financier and asking him to employ her as his “house assistant.”  Her ex-husband, the former Prince Andrew, has been publicly disgraced for his own association with Epstein: He was thrown out of the monarchy; made to relinquish his titles; moved out of his longtime home in the Crown’s Windsor Estate; and in February, arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Six companies linked to Ferguson are shutting down in the aftermath of the release of the Epstein files, CNN previously reported. Ferguson has not been accused of crimes related to Epstein, and the appearance of one’s name in the Epstein files does not suggest wrongdoing. CNN has reached out to a representative for Ferguson for comment. Epstein still had months left of his 18-month jail sentence in early April of 2009 when he received an email from Ferguson. She wrote that she was landing in Palm Beach in a few hours and she wanted to know whether she could see Epstein during her layover for a cup of tea. Epstein, who was given work-release privileges that allowed him to leave jail for up to 12 hours a day, six days a week, responded: “yes.” (It is not clear whether the two ultimately saw each other that day.) Two days later, Epstein wrote an email to Ferguson that began with the words: “you look great.” In the message, Epstein laid out his vision for a company that Ferguson could run called “Mothers Army,” an initiative aimed at helping mothers in need that would be funded by corporate sponsors. “My dear spectacular and special friend Jeffrey,” she wrote back. “You are a legend, and I am so proud of you.” She continued on to write that she had “read and devoured” Epstein’s email, and that she planned to get back to him with a “business plan.”  “Thanks for being such a great friend,” she added. Within a week of Epstein’s release from jail in July of that year, Ferguson was eager to see him in person. Emails exchanged at the end of that month show that Ferguson made plans to see Epstein. “It will be myself, Beatrice and Eugenie,” she said. “Are we having lunch?” (Her daughters were 20 and 19 at the time; it is not clear whether that meeting ever materialized.) Ferguson continued corresponding with Epstein about the idea of Mothers Army, including seeking his help on trademarking the term.