Ghislaine Maxwell found guilty in sex-trafficking
trial
Maxwell, 60, convicted on five of the six charges she
faced as US prosecutors hail verdict and say ‘justice has been done’
This
article contains descriptions of sexual abuse
Victoria
Bekiempis in New York
Wed 29 Dec
2021 23.29 GMT
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/29/ghislaine-maxwell-sex-trafficking-trial-verdict
The British
former socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was found guilty of sex trafficking in her
Manhattan federal court trial on Wednesday afternoon.
Maxwell,
60, was arrested in July 2020, charged with involvement in ex-boyfriend Jeffrey
Epstein’s sexual abuse of teenage girls, some as young as 14.
Maxwell was
convicted on five of the six charges she faced. In addition to sex-trafficking,
Maxwell was found guilty of conspiracy to entice individuals under the age of
17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual
activity, conspiracy to transport individuals under the age of 17 to travel in
interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity;
transportation of an individual under the age of 17 with intent to engage in
illegal sexual activity; and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of
individuals under the age of 18.
Maxwell was
found not guilty of one count: enticement of an individual under the age of 17
to travel with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity. Jurors reached
their verdict after 40 hours of deliberations over the course of six days.
Following
the guilty verdict, Damian Williams, the Manhattan US attorney, said in a
statement: “A unanimous jury has found Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of one of the
worst crimes imaginable: facilitating and participating in the sexual abuse of
children. Crimes that she committed with her long-time partner and
co-conspirator, Jeffrey Epstein.”
“The road
to justice has been far too long. But, today, justice has been done. I want to
commend the bravery of the girls, now grown women, who stepped out of the shadows
and into the courtroom,” William also said. “Their courage and willingness to
face their abuser made this case, and today’s result, possible.”
As the
verdict was read, Maxwell appeared to remain expressionless and looked forward.
When judge Alison Nathan finished reading the verdict, Maxwell poured herself a
cup of water from a bottle of water that was in front of her and took a drink.
Nathan then
asked jurors whether the verdict was unanimous. A microphone was passed from
juror to juror, who all agreed that it was. One of Maxwell’s lawyers, Jeffrey
Pagliuca, patted Maxwell on the back.
After
Nathan dismissed the jury, another one of Maxwell’s lawyers, Bobbi Sternheim,
asked whether the judge could help arrange for Maxwell to get a booster shot
for Covid-19.
When
Maxwell left the courtroom, she glanced quickly at her siblings, who were seated
in the front row of the gallery. Maxwell faces up to 65 years in prison when
sentenced.
Epstein, a
convicted sex offender and presumed billionaire, counted Prince Andrew and
former presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump as cronies before killing himself
in a New York jail in 2019, about one month after his sex-trafficking arrest.
The verdict
marks a dramatic conclusion to an unexpectedly fast-moving trial: proceedings
were originally expected to take at least six weeks. Prosecutors called 24
witnesses over 10 days, and defense attorneys called nine witnesses over two
days.
Prosecutors
said that Maxwell “preyed on vulnerable young girls, manipulated them and
served them up to be sexually abused” by Epstein. There were four accusers in
this case: Jane, Kate and Carolyn, who did not use their 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. At times, Maxwell
participated in the abuse, Jane said. “There were hands everywhere,” Jane
recalled of an encounter with Epstein and Maxwell. The abuse continued when she
was 15 and 16.
Kate
testified that she met Maxwell in Paris around 1994, at age 17. Maxwell
extended a tea invitation to her London townhouse shortly after they met, and
introduced Kate to Epstein at a subsequent meeting.
Several
weeks later, Maxwell called Kate, and said: “Jeffrey was meant to get a massage
but the massage therapist had canceled. Could I do her a favor and come over …
because I had strong hands.”
Kate
testified that Maxwell led her upstairs, where Epstein was wearing a robe.
Maxwell closed the door, leaving them alone; Epstein initiated sexual contact.
Kate saw Epstein a few times annually over the next several years.
Carolyn
said that she wound up in Maxwell and Epstein’s orbit around the early 2000s,
when she was 14-years-old, at his Palm Beach mansion.
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. She
just said that I had a good body type,” Carolyn said.
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 in late 1995, when she traveled to visit her sister, Maria, in New York
City. Maria worked as a fine art painter for Epstein.
In spring
1996, her 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 – Epstein had touched her hand when they went to a movie in
New York – but 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. Then, Maxwell said she wanted Annie to have the “experience” of a
professional massage.
“She said
to get undressed and get [under] the sheet on the massage table, and I did,”
Annie said, saying a table was set up in the room where she was staying. “She
pulled the sheet down and exposed my breasts, and started rubbing on my chest
and on my upper breast.”
The verdict
means jurors agreed that Maxwell had conspired to lure, and shuttle, girls for
illicit sexual activity – and that she had conspired to sex-traffick them. They
agreed that Maxwell transported Jane for illegal sexual activity. The
sex-trafficking count related specifically to Carolyn.
Maxwell has
maintained her innocence. Bobbi Sternheim, Maxwell’s lead defence, said outside
the court: “We firmly believe in Ghislaine’s innocence, obviously. We are very
disappointed with the verdict. We have already started working on the appeal
and we are confident she will be vindicated. Everyone be healthy, have a happy
new year.”
Maxwell’s
brother, Kevin Maxwell, said the family believes she will be vindicated on
appeal. “We firmly believe in our sister’s innocence,” he said in a written
statement.
Reactions
streamed in following the verdict. Annie Farmer, who testified at the trial,
said: “I am so relieved and grateful that the jury recognized the pattern of
predatory behavior that Maxwell engaged in for years and found her guilty of
these crimes ... I hope that this verdict brings solace to all who need it and
demonstrates that no one is above the law. Even those with great power and
privilege will be held accountable when they sexually abuse and exploit the
young.”
Virginia
Giuffre, one of Maxwell and Epstein’s most prominent accusers, said: “My soul
yearned for justice for years and today the jury gave me just that. I will
remember this day always. Having lived with the horrors of Maxwell’s abuse, my
heart goes out to the many other girls and young women who suffered at her
hands and whose lives she destroyed.”
A
sentencing date has not yet been set.
Edward
Helmore and the Associate Press contributed reporting.
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