END OF THE LINE
Ghislaine Maxwell’s shock arrest
Even as a fugitive, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell lived a life of privilege. On July 2, after months of searching, the net finally came down on Maxwell, the former lover – and alleged so-called ‘madam’ – of accused sex trafficker and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. She was found living on a luxury 63-hectare property in the small New Hampshire town of Bradford, in the US, where she was arrested by the FBI at 8.30am. One of Epstein’s alleged victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre is “elated” Maxwell – his alleged co-conspirator “is where she belongs”, in jail. “She is the most narcissistic, evil, vain woman I’ve ever known. And she’s finally been knocked off her pedestal,” Giuffre told 60 Minutes. She claims Maxwell sobbed during a recent court hearing.
Maxwell is charged with four counts related to procuring and transporting minors for illegal sex acts and two counts of perjury for statements she made during a deposition in 2016 about her role in
Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking operation. “Maxwell enticed minor girls, got them to trust her, then delivered them into the trap that she and Epstein had set for them,” acting Manhattan US Attorney Audrey Strauss said at a press conference, adding Maxwell “helped [Epstein] exploit girls who were as young as 14 years old”.
The alleged offences, she said, were “almost unspeakable”. It’s alleged Maxwell encouraged the young girls to massage Epstein, with the victims often partially or fully nude during the massages. Maxwell has previously denied any involvement in or knowledge of Epstein’s alleged sex crimes. The daughter of a former media magnate, she now faces up to 35 years in prison if found guilty.
Maxwell’s arrest came almost exactly one year after Epstein was charged with sexually exploiting and abusing girls and women at his various properties, including his apartment in Manhattan, his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and his private islands in the Caribbean.
Epstein committed suicide on August 10 in his prison cell while awaiting trial.
After Epstein’s death, the worldwide hunt for Maxwell, who had seemingly vanished, kicked up a notch. She was famously thought to have been seen outside a burger restaurant in Los Angeles a week after Epstein took his own life. Before she was arrested, it was reported that Maxwell was living in a Paris apartment in a bid to avoid questioning by the FBI.
How did she elude authorities? Prosecutors said Maxwell, 58, changed her email address, got a new phone number under the name ‘G Max’, and ordered packages with a different person listed on the shipping label.
FBI New York’s assistant director William Sweeney said they had been “discreetly keeping tabs” on Maxwell when, in December, she paid cash for the “gorgeous” milliondollar Bradford property. It’s understood Maxwell’s identity was protected because she’d bought the house through a company, Granite Reality LLC. “The buyer was anonymous,” a person close to the deal told NBC News. “It was always this mystery woman,” the person added. “I was like, ‘Is she an actress?’” No, but she’s certainly famous.
It’s been suggested that Maxwell’s network of powerful friends provided her with safe houses when she went into hiding. Maxwell did rub shoulders with the likes of former US president Bill Clinton – she even attended the wedding of his daughter, Chelsea – the Trumps, Mick Jagger, Harvey Weinstein, Elon Musk and, of course, the embattled Prince Andrew, who she has known since university.
Maxwell introduced the Duke of York to Epstein in 1999. Giuffre, in a BBC interview this year, said she was trafficked from the US by Epstein to sleep with Prince Andrew in 2001. After leaving a club, Giuffre claims Maxwell gave her specific instructions: “In the car, Ghislaine tells me that I have to do for Andrew what I do for Jeffrey, and that just made me sick,” she said. Following Maxwell’s arrest, there is now increased pressure on the Duke of York to speak to the FBI about his connections to Maxwell and Epstein. US officials say they “welcome” Prince Andrew speaking with them. Is time up for the prince?
“Maxwell enticed young girls” — AUDREY STRAUSS