Ghislaine Maxwell, the wealthy socialite believed to be Jeffrey Epstein’s right-hand woman, was found guilty on Wednesday of five out of six counts at a federal court in New York. The jury reached its verdict after six days of deliberations that spanned around 40 hours.
Maxwell was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to entice individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity; one count of conspiracy to transport individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity; one count of transportation of an invidious under the age of 17 with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity as it relates to a victim using the pseudonym Jane; and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of individuals under the age of 18, and sex trafficking of an individual under the age of 18 as it relates to a victim named Carolyn who only used her first name.
Maxwell could face decades in prison as the sex trafficking charge related to Carolyn carries a penalty of up to 40 years, while the other charges carry penalties of 5 to 10 years in prison. Maxwell was found not guilty of one count of enticement of an individual under the age of 17 to travel with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity as it relates to Jane.
The crimes were carried out between the years 1994 and 1997 as well as between 2001 and 2004. In Jane’s case, the victim testified that she met Epstein and Maxwell at a camp Epstein founded in the ’90s. She stated that Epstein abused her in both Florida and New York and that occasionally Maxwell was involved in the abuse, touching her as Epstein molested her. Carolyn claimed that she was abused in the ’00s and was frequently asked by Maxwell to give sexual massages to Epstein.
Maxwell pleaded not guilty to all charges before the case went to trial last month and refused to testify over the course of the proceedings. Judge Alison Nathan urged the jury, composed of six men and six women, to continue deliberations without breaks because of COVID-19 concerns. The judge initially estimated the trial would conclude mid-January 2022. The 60-year-old Maxwell was arrested in July of last year and has been in jail ever since. According to journalist Julie K. Brown, whose investigative journalism was pivotal in highlighting Epstein’s wrongdoings, Maxwell “struggled to stand” but was silent as the verdict was read. She did not make eye contact with jurors as they filed into the courtroom.
Maxwell was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to entice individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity; one count of conspiracy to transport individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity; one count of transportation of an invidious under the age of 17 with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity as it relates to a victim using the pseudonym Jane; and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of individuals under the age of 18, and sex trafficking of an individual under the age of 18 as it relates to a victim named Carolyn who only used her first name.
Maxwell could face decades in prison as the sex trafficking charge related to Carolyn carries a penalty of up to 40 years, while the other charges carry penalties of 5 to 10 years in prison. Maxwell was found not guilty of one count of enticement of an individual under the age of 17 to travel with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity as it relates to Jane.
The crimes were carried out between the years 1994 and 1997 as well as between 2001 and 2004. In Jane’s case, the victim testified that she met Epstein and Maxwell at a camp Epstein founded in the ’90s. She stated that Epstein abused her in both Florida and New York and that occasionally Maxwell was involved in the abuse, touching her as Epstein molested her. Carolyn claimed that she was abused in the ’00s and was frequently asked by Maxwell to give sexual massages to Epstein.
Maxwell pleaded not guilty to all charges before the case went to trial last month and refused to testify over the course of the proceedings. Judge Alison Nathan urged the jury, composed of six men and six women, to continue deliberations without breaks because of COVID-19 concerns. The judge initially estimated the trial would conclude mid-January 2022. The 60-year-old Maxwell was arrested in July of last year and has been in jail ever since. According to journalist Julie K. Brown, whose investigative journalism was pivotal in highlighting Epstein’s wrongdoings, Maxwell “struggled to stand” but was silent as the verdict was read. She did not make eye contact with jurors as they filed into the courtroom.