Maxwell accusers can’t be identified, judge rules

THE judge presiding over the criminal case against Jeffrey Epstein’s exgirlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, has said her lawyers are not permitted to publicly identify accusers even if they have spoken in a public forum.

Maxwell is charged with recruiting teenage girls for financier Epstein to sexually abuse.

US District Judge Alison J Nathan wrote in her ruling: “Not all accusations or public statements are equal.

“Deciding to participate in or contribute to a criminal investigation or prosecution is a far different matter than simply making a public statement ‘relating to’ Ms Maxwell or Jeffrey Epstein, particularly since such a statement might have occurred decades ago and have no relevance to the charges in this case.”

She said the women “still maintain a significant privacy interest that must be safeguarded.”

Prosecutors had asked Ms Nathan to block Maxwell’s lawyers from publicly identifying the women unless they identified themselves as participants in the criminal case. Otherwise, prosecutors said, the women may be harassed or intimidated and become reluctant to co-operate.