Ghislaine Maxwell has been found guilty on charges of sex trafficking by luring girls as young as 14 to be sexually abused by convicted paedophile Jeffery Epstein.
A jury in the Manhattan federal court only took five full days to find Ghislaine Maxwell to be guilty on five of the six charges she faced including conspiracy to entice individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity, conspiracy to transport individuals under the age of 17 to travel in interstate commerce with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity; transportation of an individual under the age of 17 with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity; and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of individuals under the age of 18.
She was not found guilty of enticing a minor to travel and engage in illegal sex acts yet also face two counts of perjury but will be tried separately.
Over 10 days, 24 witnesses were brought forward by the prosecution with four women describing being sexually abused by Epstein in the late 90s and early 2000s. Other witnesses included pilots and housekeepers who had witnessed first-hand the life of both Epstein and Maxwell.
Three out of the four women chose to use only their first names or a pseudonym for privacy however Annie Farmer was the only one to use her real name. She described to the court that she was only 16 when Maxwell gave her a nude massage on Epstein’s New Mexico Ranch.
Maxwell’s defence consisted of approximately nine witnesses over a two-day period with the witnesses including two former assistants as well as Epstein’s ex-girlfriend former Miss Sweden Eva Dubin. Another defence used by Maxwell’s legal team was that the women were motivated by money to convict Maxwell and in response one of the witness’s name Carolyn stated, “money will not ever fix what that woman has done to me” and that “this was for justice”.
After the guilty verdict was delivered, US attorney Damian Williams expressed in a statement that “The road to justice has been far too long but today justice has been done.” Furthermore, he highlighted the courage of the women who came forward to testify.
“I want to commend the bravery of the girls – now grown women – who stepped out of the shadows and into the courtroom,” he said.
“Their courage and willingness to face their abuser made this case, and today’s result, possible.”
It is not yet known when sentencing will take place, but Maxwell is likely to spend decades in prison.
