‘Predator’ Ghislaine Maxwell ‘served up young girls for Jeffrey Epstein in a pyramid scheme of abuse’, jury told
GHISLAINE Maxwell "served up" young girls for Jeffrey Epstein in a "pyramid scheme of abuse", a jury in New York was told.
Prosecutors called the 59-year-old Brit heiress a "dangerous predator" and said she and Epstein were “partners in crime” as her sex-trafficking trial finally got under way.
“But was happening in those massage rooms was not massage. Those girls were not professional masseuses. They were kids being sexually exploited and abused."
Not only did Maxwell groom the girls to be abused by Epstein, she even watched and took part, the court was told.
"Sometimes, she was even in the room for the massages herself, and sometimes she touched the girls' bodies."
Maxwell paid victims to entice more girls to be abused by Epstein, the prosecutor said.
“Under this pyramid scheme of abuse, the defendant could just call girls to schedule massage appointments and just hand them cash afterwards.”
“She was sitting at a picnic table for kids when a man and woman walked by," said Pomerantz.
"The man introduced himself as someone who gave scholarships for kids.
“They asked Jane for her phone number. What Jane didn’t know then was that this meeting at summer camp was the beginning of a nightmare that would last for years.
"This meeting was the beginning of that man and woman targeting Jane for sexual abuse that would last for years.”
"Who was that woman targeting young girls for sexual abuse? It was the defendant - Ghislaine Maxwell."
The prosecutor outlined what she called the "play book" Maxwell and Epstein used under the cover of being "wealthy and influential" people to win victims' trust.
"First, they got access to young girls. Then they gained their trust. They learned about each girl’s hopes and dreams. They learned about each girl’s family.
Epstein killed himself while awaiting trial for sex trafficking in August 2019.
Maxwell's lawyer Bobbi Sternheim cast doubt on the accusers claims and argued she was a "scapegoat" for the multimillionaire paedophile's crimes.
"Memories fade over time and this case you will learn that not only have memories faded, but they have been contaminated by outside information, constant media reports and other influences," she said.
“The government is trying to stitch together stories of four different people, four different stories to support a pattern.
"But the only pattern you will see here is the success of those four people getting big money awards from the Epstein fund.
“They have been impacted by lawyers, by media, by things they have read, things they have heard. And by money. Big Bucks.”
Fidgeting in courtroom 318
By James Beal in New York
Ghislaine Maxwell fidgeted with nervous energy in courtroom 318 — as the prosecutor pointed and called her a “predator”.
The English heiress, in a beige cashmere sweater, black trousers and heels, hid her face behind a white mask at The Thurgood Marshall US Courthouse in Manhattan.
At the start of proceedings, she hugged each of her four lawyers. The accused appeared to be relatively relaxed as she played with her recently dyed hair.
Clutching a coffee, she waved to her sister, Isabel, sitting yards away in the front row of the public gallery.
There was no indication that Maxwell’s reported diet of rotten apples at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Correctional Centre had had any ill effect on her.
Sitting next to her was Leah Saffian, longtime Maxwell family lawyer and old friend.
But, as prosecutor Lara Pomerantz tore into her, Maxwell fidgeted, passed notes to her legal team and leaned in close to talk to them.
The victims are going to “tell stories that have changed over time and will over time", said Sternheim.
“Stories that they have told for the first time after Epstein died. Ghislaine has been inserted in those stories as they reframed their stories for a payday."
The attorney said Epstein was a “21st century James Bond” whose wealth and mystery attracted the public’s interest.
Maxwell “is is a brand name, she is a lightning rod, she is a convenient stand-in for the man who cannot be here".
The exact charges against Maxwell are:
- Conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts
- Enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts
- Conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity
- Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity
- Sex trafficking conspiracy
- Sex trafficking of a minor
She also faces two other charges of perjury over allegations she lied in a deposition in a separate civil suit, but these will be tried separately.
Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to all charges against her.
As the world's press gathered outside the courtroom, an accuser of Maxwell and Epstein arrived to view the proceedings.
Sarah Ransome, who alleges she was recruited into Epstein's network, was pictured surrounded by cameras.
She is not part of the court case against Ghislaine - but went public with her allegations as the Epstein's victims call for justice.
"I never thought this day would come," said Sarah.
'SCAPEGOAT'
Maxwell's charges relate to four victims - including Annie Farmer , who claims that the alleged "madam" gave her a topless massage when she was just 16.
Farmer will be joined by three other victims who are expected to testify under pseudonyms.
It is unknown if Ghislaine's friend Prince Andrew - who vehemently denies separate allegations that he slept with a 17-year-old trafficking victim - will be mentioned in the case.
As a long-term pal of the Duke of York, Maxwell is widely reported to be the one who introduced him to Epstein.
Maxwell was arrested suddenly in July 2020 by the FBI after being accused of going into hiding over the allegations.
She was detained as she was deemed a flight risk and was repeatedly denied bail.
And this has sparked a long list of complaints about her jail conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Daughter of disgraced newspaper mogul Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine was born into a life of wealth and raised at the 53-room mansion Headington Hill Hall.
Working in various roles at her dad's companies - including as a director of Oxford United - she became a prominent socialite in London.
Her father died in 1991 after apparently falling from his yacht - named the Lady Ghislaine.
Epstein was a wealthy New York financier who amassed a multi-million dollar fortune and hung out with the world's elite.
The well-connected paedo had a infamous "little black book" including contacts for the rich and famous.
But behind his world of money and fame was a disgusting lust for underage girls and young women.
Epstein was first convicted of sex offences in 2008 on a single charge of soliciting prostitution from girls as young as 14.
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Some 11 years later, the cops finally charged him with a wider conspiracy for trafficking minors in Florida and New York.
He dodged justice by hanging himself in jail in 2019.