New York, Dec 30 (AP) British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted on Wednesday of American millionaire Jeffrey Epstein luring teenage girls into sexual exploitation.
The verdict kicked off a month-long trial featuring gruesome accounts of the sexual abuse of 14-year-old girls by four women who lived as teens in the 1990s and early 2000s at Epstein’s palatial homes in Florida, New York and New Mexico. as abuse was described. ,
The jurors deliberated for five full days before convicting Maxwell in five of the six cases. As the verdict was read, Maxwell was largely behind a black mask. She stood with folded hands as the jury entered, and looked at her siblings—who faithfully attend each day of the trial—as she herself was leading from the courtroom. Along the way she did not hug her lawyers, a notable change from the days before, during which Maxwell and her team were often physically affectionate with each other.
She faces the prospect of years in prison – an outcome long sought by women who have accused Maxwell of their involvement in recruiting and grooming Epstein’s juvenile victims and sometimes engaging in sexual abuse. Had spent years fighting in civil courts for the role.
Conspiracy to entice Maxwell to travel to engage in illegal sexual acts Conspiracy to transport a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity Conspiracy to transport a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity , was convicted of conspiracy to have sex. Trafficking of minors and sex trafficking of minors, the last of which carries a statutory maximum of 40 years in prison.
He was acquitted of a charge of luring a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts.
Defense had insisted that Maxwell was the victim of a retaliatory prosecution designed to bring justice to women deprived of his main villain when Epstein killed himself while awaiting trial in 2019.
During the trial, prosecutors called on 24 witnesses to give them a picture of life inside Epstein’s homes — a subject of public fascination and speculation since his 2006 arrest in Florida in a child sex case.
A housekeeper testified that he expected to be “blind, deaf and dumb” about the personal life of Epstein, a financier who cultivated friendships with influential politicians and business tycoons, and Maxwell, who led a jet-setting lifestyle. A media mogul who was led as a favorite kid.
The pilots took the stand of witness and dropped the names of veterans – Britain’s Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump – who flew on Epstein’s private jet.
The jurors saw physical evidence such as a folding massage table used by Epstein and a “black book” that listed contact information for some of the victims under the heading “Massage”.
Bank records showed he had transferred $30.7 million to Maxwell, his longtime partner – lifelong girlfriend, later an employee.
But the core of the prosecution was the testimony of four women who said they were victimized by Maxwell and Epstein at a young age.
Three testified using first names or pseudonyms to protect their privacy: Jane, a television actress; Kate, a former model from Great Britain; and Caroline, now a mother recovering from drug addiction. The fourth was Annie Farmer, a psychologist who chose to use her real name after being outspoken about her allegations in recent years.
They echoed each other in their descriptions of Maxwell’s behavior: he used charms and gifts to gain her trust, took an interest in the challenges of his adolescence, and assured him that Epstein would pursue his dreams to fulfill his dreams. Can use money and connections.
He said that when Maxwell persuaded him to massage Epstein, who turned sexually, he said the script would be darkened: after a sexual massage, 17-year-old Kate said, Maxwell asked her whether she would have fun and told him: “You are such a nice girl.” Caroline testified that she was one of several underprivileged teens who lived near Epstein’s Florida home in the early 2000s and offered to give massages in exchange for $100 bills, which prosecutors described as “a pyramid.” was described in. of abuse”
Maxwell made all the arrangements, Caroline told the jury, even though she knew the girl was only 14 at the time.
Jane said that in 1994, when she was only 14, she was instructed to accompany Epstein to a pool house at her Palm Beach estate, where he masturbated with her.
It was only on Jane that Maxwell was acquitted.
“I was frozen in fear,” she told the jury, adding that the attack was the first time she had ever seen a penis. She directly accused Maxwell of participating in her abuse.
Maxwell’s lawyer asked Jane why it took so long to come forward.
“I was scared,” she said, choking down in tears. “I was embarrassed, embarrassed. I didn’t want anyone to know anything about me.” Farmer, who testified last, described how Maxwell touched her breasts while massaging Epstein’s New Mexico ranch, and how Epstein unexpectedly crawled into bed and pressed himself against her.
Maxwell, 60, vehemently denied the allegations through his lawyers.
Still, she refused to take the risk of testifying, telling the judge: “The government has not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, so I have no reason to testify.” “The charges against Ghislaine Maxwell are for things that Jeffrey Epstein has done,” one of Maxwell’s attorneys, Bobby Sternheim, insisted to the jury. “But he’s not Jeffrey Epstein and he’s not like Jeffrey Epstein.” (AP) SNE SNE
(This story has been published as part of an auto-generated Syndicate wire feed. Headline or body have not been edited by ABP Live.)
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