Ghislaine Maxwell, the disgrace socialite friend, business partner, and former lover, to Jeffrey Epstein, has been found guilty of a number of sex-offences, including sex-trafficking a minor, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts. Maxwell was found not guilty on the charge of enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts.
The sex-trafficking offence alone carries a maximum sentence of up to 45 years in prison, meaning that it is highly likely that the 60-year-old Maxwell will spend the rest of her life behind bars. Her other convictions carry sentences of up to 12 years in prison.
Maxwell had denied all charges during the trial and her family and legal team now say she will appeal her convictions. Her defence team has long claimed that she was being used as a scapegoat for the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein, who allegedly committed suicide in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial in relation to many of the crimes Maxwell has now been convicted of playing a part in.
It is alleged that Jeffrey Epstein, an extremely wealthy and powerful American financier, spent years abusing young and underage girls at his various mansions across the US and abroad. Maxwell has now been convicted of recruiting and manipulating the victims on Epstein's behalf. It is said that over many years she developed a 'pyramid of abuse' involving dozens or even hundreds of girls. Maxwell is also said to have taken part in the abuse and received over $22 million from Epstein during their partnership.
Maxwell is herself from an extremely wealthy family. She is the daughter of tycoon Robert Maxwell, who owned a vast media empire prior to his death in 1991 when he mysteriously vanished off his yacht. Robert Maxwell at the time was under investigation for robbing the pension fund that belonged to his employees. It was then that Ghislaine moved permanently to the United States and began mingling with the rich and powerful, meeting Epstein in the process.
Some have suggested that Ghislaine Maxwell will now identify many of the rich and powerful friends of Jeffrey Epstein, who are also alleged to have been involved in the abuse, in order to get a lighter sentence. Prince Andrew, the son of Queen Elizabeth II, has already been named by one of Epstein's victims as someone who she was forced to have sexual intercourse with while in Epstein's company.
[Based on reporting by: The Mind Unleashed]
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