Maxwell sobs as bail bid rejected
NEW YORK: Disgraced socialite Ghislaine Maxwell broke down in tears as she was refused bail and will now spend the next year in prison awaiting trial on child sex charges.
US District Court Judge Alison Nathan heard Maxwell was “the very definition of a flight risk” who used a series of alter egos to hide from authorities and lied to investigators about her vast wealth.
During a video court appearance, Maxwell, 58, pleaded not guilty to child sex crimes involving her former billionaire paedophile boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein, who committed suicide in jail last August.
The court heard emotional appeals from two alleged victims, one of whom said: “Those of us who survived implore this court to detain her on bail.”
Prosecutors said Maxwell lied to investigators about her finances and her whereabouts during their probe into Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. They argued she should remain in jail ahead of her trial next year, rather than stay at the “luxury hotel in Manhattan” that her legal team had requested she be housed in.
If guilty, Maxwell faces up to 35 years jail for six charges including grooming and recruiting young women for sex with Epstein from 1994 to 1997.
Epstein killed himself in custody after he had been charged with dozens of child sex crimes last year.
Prince Andrew is among those accused of being part of Epstein’s child sex scheme. Australian-based mother Virginia Giuffre Roberts has accused the Prince of having sex with her when she was underage. She says she had sex with Andrew at Maxwell’s London home at the behest of Epstein.
The Prince strenuously denies the accusations. He says he doesn’t remember even meeting Roberts. However, he may be called to give evidence at Maxwell’s trial.
Prosecutors allege Maxwell also took part in some of the sex acts, committed across luxury properties owned by Epstein and herself in New York, New Mexico, Palm Beach and London. She also faces two perjury charges for allegedly lying under oath in a separate civil suit in 2016.
Maxwell’s lawyers argued she should be remanded in detention in a New York hotel and that keeping her in prison exposed her to the risk of catching coronavirus.
The court heard from two of Maxwell’s alleged victims, who pleaded with Justice Nathan to keep her in jail.
“She is a sexual predator who groomed and abused victims,” said Annie Farmer, who had previously testified a year ago at Epstein’s bail hearing.
Ms Farmer said Maxwell had shown no remorse and the danger she continued to pose “must be taken seriously”.
Maxwell’s trial date has been set for July 21, 2021.