Maxwell asks for £21m bail with tag and armed guard
LAWYERS for Ghislaine Maxwell have asked a judge in New York to free her on £21.4million bail and said armed guards would ensure she did not flee before her sex trafficking trial.
Around £16.8million of the bail would come from the British socialite and her husband, including their three homes worth £6million and £375,000 cash.
A security specialist pledged another £750,000 towards the package and offered armed security if she was let out. Seven other close friends and family pledged a further £3.7million.
The 58-year-old daughter of disgraced tycoon Robert Maxwell is charged with recruiting three teenage girls for her then-boyfriend millionaire Jeffrey Epstein to abuse in the mid-1990s.
Epstein, 66, a close friend of Prince Andrew, killed himself as he awaited trial on similar charges in August 2019.
Ms Maxwell – who vanished as investigators looked for her – was denied bail after her arrest in July. This time she has offered to have electronic monitoring and live in New York City.
Letters of support for her application
claimed she only fled to a secluded house in New Hampshire last year over fears ‘vigilantes’ would find her at the home she shared with her husband.
She even hid when the FBI found her as she thought they were journalists.
‘Ms Maxwell vehemently maintains her innocence and is committed to defending herself,’ her lawyers said.
‘She wants nothing more than to remain in this country to fight allegations... based on uncorroborated testimony of a handful of witnesses about events over 25 years ago.’
The bail arguments were released by a court in Manhattan.