Daily Express

I arranged daily massage for Epstein, says Maxwell

- By Christophe­r Bucktin

FURIOUS Ghislaine Maxwell smashed her hand on a table as she admitted she recruited women to massage Prince Andrew’s paedophile pal Jeffrey Epstein.

Asked how many times Epstein got a massage she added: “When I was at the house he received a massage on average once a day.”

The British socialite said that her job for her former boyfriend “included hiring many people”.

Ms Maxwell has kept a low-profile since Epstein’s death in August, but she is said to be living undercover between the UK and the US.

In court papers which have recently come to light, Ms Maxwell, 57, said in a video statement that her role included finding masseuses, but denied it was a front for procuring girls for Epstein to abuse.

She admitted knowing the Duke of York’s main accuser Virginia Roberts was 17 when she began massaging Epstein.

But Ms Maxwell described claims Ms Roberts was abused as “rubbish”. In a deposition to a New York court as part of a libel action by “sex slave” Ms Roberts in 2017, Ms Maxwell outlined her role for the businessma­n.

She told how Epstein had six homes and it was her job to ensure they were maintained.

She said: “I hired assistants, cooks, architects, decorators, cleaners, gardeners, pilots. I hired all sorts of people. A small part of my job was to find adult profession­al massage therapists for Jeffrey. As far as I’m concerned, everyone who came to his house was an adult profession­al person.”

When questioned how often Ms Roberts would massage Epstein, she said: “It’s important to understand that I wasn’t with Jeffrey all the time.

“In fact, I was only in the house less than half the time, so I cannot testify to when I wasn’t there how often she came. What I can say is that I barely would remember her, if not for all of this rubbish.”

Tony Figueroa, a former bodyguard of Epstein’s, testified that Ms Roberts, now 35, had told him of threesomes she had with Ms Maxwell and the financier. But Ms Maxwell rejected claims of her involvemen­t.

She denied Ms Roberts’ claim that she was loaned out by Epstein to rich and powerful men including Prince Andrew, 59.

“I can only go on what I know. What I know is a falsehood based on what Virginia said. Everything Virginia has said is an absolute lie, which is why we are here in this room.

“At 17, you are allowed to be a profession­al masseuse. There is nothing inappropri­ate about her coming at that time to give a massage.”

When asked if Epstein sexually abused minors, she replied: “I can only testify to what I know. I know that Virginia is a liar and I know what she testified is a lie.”

At one point during her questionin­g, she became so angered she smashed her hand down on to a table, the court papers reveal.

Ms Maxwell said later: “I apologise sincerely for my banging at the table earlier. I hope you accept my apology.

It’s borne out of years of feeling the pressure of this entire lie that she has perpetrate­d.”

Ms Roberts accused the Duke of York of having sex with her three times at Epstein’s request, which Andrew has vehemently denied.

Epstein committed suicide aged 66 in August while awaiting trial for underage sex traffickin­g.

Meanwhile, at least 35 organisati­ons have dropped Andrew as their patron amid a public backlash to his BBC television interview about his friendship with Epstein.

 ??  ?? Prince Andrew with accuser Virginia Roberts and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001
Prince Andrew with accuser Virginia Roberts and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001
 ??  ?? Epstein with Ghislaine Maxwell
Epstein with Ghislaine Maxwell

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