Ghislaine Maxill was found guilty of five of six counts in a New York federal court. These charges relate to Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minor girls between 1994-2004.
The 60-year-old British former socialite was arrested in July 2020, and charged with involvement in ex-boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse of teenage girls.
Epstein, a convicted sexual offender, named Prince Andrew, former presidents Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump as his cronies before he committed suicide in a New York prison in 2019, one month after his sex trafficking arrest.
The verdict is a dramatic ending to an unusually fast-moving trial. Originally, proceedings were expected to take at most six weeks. The prosecution called 24 witnesses in 10 days and the defense called nine witnesses in two days.
Prosecutors stated that Maxwell “preyed” on vulnerable young girls and “manipulated them, and served up to be sexually abuse by Epstein.”
In this case, there were four accusers: Jane and Kate, who did not use full names, and Annie Farmer.
Jane testified that she was 14 in 1994 when Epstein started to sexually abuse her – and that sometimes Maxwell was present during this abuse. Jane said Maxwell sometimes participated in the abuse.
Jane recalls a meeting with Maxwell and Epstein. She was 15 and 16 when the abuse continued.
Maxwell met Kate in Paris in 1994, when she was 17. Maxwell invited Kate to a tea party at her London home shortly after they had met.
Maxwell called Kate a few weeks later to inform her that she had intended for Jeffrey to receive a massage but that the massage therapist had been cancelled. Could I do her a favor and come over … because I had strong hands.”
Kate testified that Maxwell took her upstairs, where Epstein was dressed in a robe. Maxwell shut the door and left them alone. Epstein initiated sexual contact. Over the next few years, Kate saw Epstein only a few times a year.
Carolyn claimed that Maxwell and Epstein were her friends when she was 14 years old at his Palm Beach home.
Carolyn said she went to Epstein’s house “over 100 times” from ages 14 to 18, and testified about a physical encounter with Maxwell while setting up a massage table.
“I was getting fully nude, and she came in and felt my boobs and my hips and my buttocks and said … that I had a great body for Mr Epstein and his friends. Carolyn stated that she just said that I had a good physique.
Annie Farmer, the only accuser to testify under her full name rather than a pseudonym or first name, testified that Maxwell gave her a nude massage when she was only 16 at Epstein’s New Mexico ranch.
Farmer met Epstein when she was traveling to New York City to visit her sister Maria in 1995. Maria worked as an artist in fine art for Epstein.
In spring 1996, Annie Farmer’s mother informed the teen that she would be traveling to Epstein’s ranch, believing it was an educational retreat for high school students.
Annie didn’t want to go because Epstein had touched her hand when they went to a movie in New York, but she felt better knowing a woman, Maxwell, would be there.
Following an excursion into town, Maxwell said she’d teach Annie to give Epstein a foot massage. Maxwell stated that Annie should have the “experience of a professional massage.”
“She advised me to get up and get dressed. [under]Annie said she put the sheet on the massage table and that she did. Annie added that a table was being set up in the area where she was staying. “She pulled down the sheet and exposed my breasts. She then began rubbing on my chest, and my upper breasts.”
Ghislaine Maxill was charged with six offenses in connection to Epstein.
She was convicted of five federal charges, including sex trafficking and transporting a child with the intent to engage criminal sexual activity.
She was cleared of the charge that she had enticed a minor to travel to illegal sex acts.
Maxwell could spend up to 65 years behind bars
She has maintained her innocence.