Maxwell grovelled like a groupie to a paedophile
ONCE the darling of the New York and London social scenes, for the past several years Ghislaine Maxwell’s life could not have been further from those days.
Following allegations she had procured girls for her paedophile boyfriend, Jeffrey Epstein, the British socialite did not just become a recluse, she took active measures not to be found.
But last week the 58-year-old, the daughter of disgraced media tycoon Robert Maxwell, had the door to her palatial New Hampshire hideout kicked down by the FBI.
After walking her out in handcuffs, the Feds explained how, for seven months, the Brit had lived a life of luxury after she “slithered away to a gorgeous property”.
Today she finds herself in a grim Brooklyn detention cell.
Maxwell has been charged with grooming three unnamed girls, all under the age of 18, in London, New York, Florida, and New
Mexico between 1994 and 1997.
Prosecutors have claimed she took part in the sexual abuse carried out by Epstein, and she encouraged girls to travel to meet the financier and engage in sex acts with him.
Maxwell is also accused of lying in 2016 depositions, while being sued by alleged victim
‘teen sex slave’ Virginia Giuffre, that she’d never groomed or had sex with underage girls herself. She has previously denied any wrongdoing.
Within moments of Maxwell’s arrest, questions were being asked about whether she would choose to co-operate with prosecutors and provide information on the men connected to Epstein, who committed suicide while in jail last August.
They, of course, include Prince
Andrew who Maxwell introduced to the late Wall Street moneyman in the late Nineties.
Her arrest places the Duke of York, who has denied any wrongdoing and has so far failed to speak with the FBI about his friendship with Epstein, under further pressure. Although he has been told he is wanted for questioning purely as a witness, it must still be of concern what, when facing up to 35 years in prison if convicted, Maxwell could say.
Of course, she is innocent until proven guilty, but numerous victims’ court testimony claim that her alleged role in
Epstein’s sick world of abuse involved acting as the girls’ friend before turning abuser.
Maxwell, prosecutors claim, discussed sexual topics with the girls and sometimes undressed in front of them to “normalise” the abuse.
“She pretended to be a woman (the victims) could trust, all the while they were setting them up to be abused by Epstein and in some cases by Maxwell herself,” acting DA Audrey Strauss said.
Yet despite the allegations, according to her friends, it is Maxwell we should feel sorry for.
“A damaged, broken girl” was one pal’s assessment, adding Epstein mercilessly “brainwashed, controlled” her. Brainwashed? Controlled? Surely these are words that should only describe the real victims here, the children Maxwell is accused of grooming for Epstein’s sex-trafficking ring over decades. Her friends now claim Maxwell was scared of Epstein, fearful of him. Really? With all her connections and £20m in the bank, she found it so hard to break away?
Or was it the case Maxwell’s real love was for powerful, rich men, not least her father and Prince Andrew.
But that does not make her a victim.
Maxwell legitimised Epstein by appearing as his age-appropriate arm candy while behind closed doors she was allegedly nothing more than a ‘madam’.
For someone born into such privilege, it’s repulsive how Maxwell grovelled like a groupie to a paedophile.