Why was Ghislaine Maxwell arrested and what was her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein?
GHISLAINE Maxwell, the former girlfriend of notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested by the FBI in July 2020.
Maxwell was busted in Bedford, New Hampshire, near the home believed to belong to her new boyfriend.
Maxwell has been accused of having a role in Epstein's sex trafficking ring of underage girls.
When did Maxwell's sex trafficking trial start?
Maxwell's sex trafficking trial started on Monday, November 29, 2021.
Maxwell faces allegations that she procured girls for Epstein while also participating in the abuse herself on a number of occasions.
Prosecutors allege she and Epstein exploited girls as young as 14.
Maxwell’s lawyers deny all charges against her and will attempt to argue her relationship with Epstein has been overstated.
Opening the case for the defense, Maxwell's attorney Bobbi Sternheim told the jury: “Ever since Eve was accused of tempting Adam with the apple, women have been blamed for the bad behavior of men, and women are often vilified and punished more than men are.
"The charges against Ghislaine Maxwell are for things Jeffrey Epstein did. But she is not Jeffrey Epstein."
Of Epstein, Sternheim said that “in many regards, he was like a 21st century James Bond...his accusers have shaken the money tree and millions of dollars have fallen their way.”
The case could see bombshell revelations from the murky world of Epstein emerge as Maxwell answers six charges relating to the trafficking and abuse of four victims.
On Wednesday, December 29, 2021, Maxwell was found guilty of all counts except for one following during deliberations.
She was found not guilty of enticement of an individual under the age of 17 to travel with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity.
On June 28, 2022, Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison for grooming dozens of girls for paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Just two days before the sentencing, Maxwell was put on suicide watch, reports.
According to the outlet, her lawyers say that she is not suicidal and was deemed so by "outside psychologists."
The prosecutor said Maxwell was a "sophisticated predator who knew exactly what she was doing" who "ran the same playbook again and again and again."
Judge Alison Nathan sentenced Maxwell saying: "That is 20 years. Then five years of supervised release."
She also imposed a $750,000 (£615) fine on the heiress.
Epstein victims Sarah Ransome, Elizabeth Stein, Annie Farmer and the accuser known as "Kate" were present in the courtroom and confronted Maxwell.
The prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence her to 30 to 55 years in prison.
While Maxwell's defense attempted to get a lower sentence of just five years.
The 60-year-old addressed the victims saying: "I am sorry for the pain that you experienced.
"I hope my conviction and harsh incarceration brings you brings you closure, peace and finality."
Who is Ghislaine Maxwell?
Ghislaine Maxwell is a British socialite and heiress who became a confidante of Jeffrey Epstein.
She has been labeled the notorious sex abuser's "pimp."
She was born in 1961, in Maisons Laffitte, France, and is the youngest child of disgraced media tycoon and British publisher Robert Maxwell.
In 1992 she had a romantic relationship with American financier Jeffrey Epstein and remained closely associated with him for decades afterward.
Maxwell is accused luring children into the clutches of former boyfriend Epstein and even taking part in some of the abuse - claims she strongly denies.
Maxwell, one of the world’s most wanted women, fled to France, where she was born, to avoid questioning in the US by the FBI over her links to the late disgraced billionaire.
The 60-year-old vanished from public life in 2016 and was bolted up in a secret hideaway on Avenue Matignon, in Paris’s exclusive 8th Arrondissement.
It is unknown when she returned to the US.
Why was Ghislaine Maxwell arrested?
Ghislaine Maxwell has been arrested by the FBI on charges linked to sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein.
The place of her arrest is understood to be close to the home of her alleged boyfriend Scott Borgerson.
Borgerson is the 45-year-old CEO of CargoMetrics, a company that processes data-analytics for maritime trade and shipping.
His company has been valued at $100million.
Lawyers for Epstein’s victims hired private investigators to try to find Maxwell and have issued writs at a number of addresses worldwide, without success.
The 60-year-old has been accused of acting as a "madam" for the convicted sex offender, US court documents revealed.
Maxwell has repeatedly denied any involvement in Epstein's crimes.