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Ghislaine Maxwell, Associate of Jeffrey Epstein, Is Arrested Ghislaine Maxwell, Associate of Jeffrey Epstein, Is Arrested
(about 2 hours later)
Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and longtime associate of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested Thursday on criminal charges linked to his alleged sex-trafficking operation. Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and longtime associate of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested Thursday and charged with playing a key role in his alleged sex-trafficking operation.
In an indictment, Ms. Maxwell was accused of helping Mr. Epstein “recruit, groom and ultimately abuse” multiple girls, including one as young as 14. Ms. Maxwell also faces perjury charges. In an indictment, Ms. Maxwell was accused of helping Mr. Epstein “recruit, groom and ultimately abuse” multiple girls, including one as young as 14.
The arrest came nearly a year after Mr. Epstein was charged in a federal indictment with sexually exploiting and abusing dozens of underage girls at his mansion in Manhattan, his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., and other locations.The arrest came nearly a year after Mr. Epstein was charged in a federal indictment with sexually exploiting and abusing dozens of underage girls at his mansion in Manhattan, his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., and other locations.
Mr. Epstein hanged himself in August in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Lower Manhattan, where he has been jailed pending trial on the federal sex-trafficking charges. Mr. Epstein hanged himself in August in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Lower Manhattan, where he had been jailed pending trial on the federal sex-trafficking charges. After his death, federal prosecutors said they would continue to investigate his associates.
“This case against Ghislaine Maxwell is the prequel to the earlier case that we brought against Jeffrey Epstein,” Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said at a news conference on Thursday.“This case against Ghislaine Maxwell is the prequel to the earlier case that we brought against Jeffrey Epstein,” Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said at a news conference on Thursday.
William F. Sweeney Jr., the head of the F.B.I. office in New York, said at the news conference that Ms. Maxwell was arrested in Bradford, N.H. The authorities had been “discreetly keeping tabs” on Ms. Maxwell’s whereabouts and recently learned that she had moved to a “gorgeous mansion” in the state, he said.
Ms. Maxwell, a longtime confidante and companion of Mr. Epstein’s, had for years been accused of helping to procure and groom young girls for the financier, including instructing them on how to pleasure Mr. Epstein sexually.Ms. Maxwell, a longtime confidante and companion of Mr. Epstein’s, had for years been accused of helping to procure and groom young girls for the financier, including instructing them on how to pleasure Mr. Epstein sexually.
The daughter of the British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell, Ms. Maxwell also helped manage Mr. Epstein’s properties and introduced him to the high-profile celebrities and business executives who would form his social circle.
“They were like partners in a business,” Mr. Epstein’s house manager, Janusz Banasiak, said in a deposition.“They were like partners in a business,” Mr. Epstein’s house manager, Janusz Banasiak, said in a deposition.
The daughter of the British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell, Ms. Maxwell also helped manage Mr. Epstein’s properties and introduced him to the celebrities and business executives who would form his social circle.
As part of the investigation into Mr. Epstein’s associates, federal authorities had sought the cooperation of Prince Andrew of Britain, a longtime friend of both Ms. Maxwell and Mr. Epstein.
In an unusual move, prosecutors had announced publicly that the prince refused to help with their investigation. Last month, the prince’s lawyers said he had agreed to provide New York prosecutors with a written statement, but would not sit for an interview.
On Thursday, Ms. Strauss said federal prosecutors would still like to speak with Prince Andrew. The investigation is ongoing, and officials urged others who might have been victims to contact the authorities.
“The example set by the women involved in this investigation has been a powerful one,” Mr. Sweeney, the F.B.I. official, said. “They persevered against the rich and the connected, and they did so without a badge, a gun or a subpoena, and they stood together.”
Civil lawsuits have accused Ms. Maxwell, now 58, of managing a network of recruiters on whom Mr. Epstein relied to entice young and often financially strapped girls and women into his scheme, promising he would help them with their education and careers.Civil lawsuits have accused Ms. Maxwell, now 58, of managing a network of recruiters on whom Mr. Epstein relied to entice young and often financially strapped girls and women into his scheme, promising he would help them with their education and careers.
“She orchestrated the whole thing for Jeffrey,” one of Mr. Epstein’s accusers, Sarah Ransome, who sued him in 2017, told The New York Times in an interview.“She orchestrated the whole thing for Jeffrey,” one of Mr. Epstein’s accusers, Sarah Ransome, who sued him in 2017, told The New York Times in an interview.
The federal indictment, unsealed in the Southern District of New York, charged Ms. Maxwell with six counts, including enticing minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity and perjury. The federal indictment charged Ms. Maxwell with six counts, including enticing minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity and perjury.
The indictment described three instances between 1994 and 1997 of Ms. Maxwell befriending girls, taking them shopping and to the movies. After establishing a rapport with the girls, Ms. Maxwell would “normalize sexual abuse” by undressing in front of them or talking about sexual topics, the indictment said.The indictment described three instances between 1994 and 1997 of Ms. Maxwell befriending girls, taking them shopping and to the movies. After establishing a rapport with the girls, Ms. Maxwell would “normalize sexual abuse” by undressing in front of them or talking about sexual topics, the indictment said.
“Maxwell enticed minor girls, got them to trust her, then delivered them into the trap that she and Epstein had set for them,” Ms. Strauss said.“Maxwell enticed minor girls, got them to trust her, then delivered them into the trap that she and Epstein had set for them,” Ms. Strauss said.
When Mr. Epstein offered to pay for travel and educational opportunities for some of the girls, Ms. Maxwell encouraged them to accept his assistance, according to the indictment.When Mr. Epstein offered to pay for travel and educational opportunities for some of the girls, Ms. Maxwell encouraged them to accept his assistance, according to the indictment.
“As a result, victims were made to feel indebted and believed that Maxwell and Epstein were trying to help them,” the indictment said.“As a result, victims were made to feel indebted and believed that Maxwell and Epstein were trying to help them,” the indictment said.
Mr. Epstein would then abuse the girls in various residences and other locations in New York, New Mexico, Florida and London, according to the indictment.Mr. Epstein would then abuse the girls in various residences and other locations in New York, New Mexico, Florida and London, according to the indictment.
Ms. Maxwell would also sometimes be present when Mr. Epstein sexually abused girls, which “helped put the victims at ease because an adult woman was present,” according to the indictment.Ms. Maxwell would also sometimes be present when Mr. Epstein sexually abused girls, which “helped put the victims at ease because an adult woman was present,” according to the indictment.
In one 1996 instance, the indictment said, Ms. Maxwell gave an underage girl an unsolicited massage in New Mexico while the girl was topless. In one instance in 1996, the indictment said, Ms. Maxwell gave an underage girl an unsolicited massage in New Mexico while the girl was topless.
Prosecutors also accused Ms. Maxwell of lying under oath during a 2016 deposition in a lawsuit about her role in Mr. Epstein’s operation. When Ms. Maxwell was asked whether Mr. Epstein had a scheme to recruit underage girls for sexual massages, she responded: “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the indictment said.Prosecutors also accused Ms. Maxwell of lying under oath during a 2016 deposition in a lawsuit about her role in Mr. Epstein’s operation. When Ms. Maxwell was asked whether Mr. Epstein had a scheme to recruit underage girls for sexual massages, she responded: “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the indictment said.
Jeffrey Pagliuca, who has been a lawyer for Ms. Maxwell, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Jeffrey Pagliuca, who has been a lawyer for Ms. Maxwell, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In March, Ms. Maxwell sued Mr. Epstein’s estate, saying that he had promised to pay her legal fees for any claims from women who say she helped him recruit them to give him massages when they were teenagers.
Last year federal prosecutors accused Mr. Epstein of paying girls and women to give him massages while they were nude or topless, in encounters that typically included sex acts. That activity, however, was said to have occurred between 2002 and 2005. It was unclear why Ms. Maxwell was charged with actions that prosecutors said occurred earlier. Last year, federal prosecutors accused Mr. Epstein of paying girls and women to give him massages while they were nude or topless, in encounters that typically included sex acts. That activity, however, was said to have occurred between 2002 and 2005. It was unclear why Ms. Maxwell was charged with actions that prosecutors said occurred earlier.
Ms. Maxwell grew up in a mansion in Buckinghamshire, England, where she rubbed shoulders with aristocrats and royals. She attended Oxford and moved to New York in 1991, around the time when her father bought the New York Daily News. Ms. Maxwell was born in France and grew up in a mansion in Buckinghamshire, England, where she rubbed shoulders with aristocrats and royals. She attended Oxford and moved to New York in 1991, around the time when her father bought The Daily News.
But her father died that year after falling off a boat in the midst of mounting debt. Ms. Maxwell moved into a modest apartment on the Upper East Side.But her father died that year after falling off a boat in the midst of mounting debt. Ms. Maxwell moved into a modest apartment on the Upper East Side.
After Ms. Maxwell and Mr. Epstein began dating, she began spending a lot of time at his mansion in Florida, entertaining prominent visitors from around the world. Ms. Maxwell was described as charming, entertaining and funny — in contrast to Mr. Epstein.After Ms. Maxwell and Mr. Epstein began dating, she began spending a lot of time at his mansion in Florida, entertaining prominent visitors from around the world. Ms. Maxwell was described as charming, entertaining and funny — in contrast to Mr. Epstein.
Questions about the nature of their close relationship, however, emerged over the years.
In 2000, Ms. Maxwell moved into a townhouse less than 10 blocks from Mr. Epstein’s mansion that was purchased by an anonymous limited liability company represented by Mr. Epstein’s longtime lawyer.In 2000, Ms. Maxwell moved into a townhouse less than 10 blocks from Mr. Epstein’s mansion that was purchased by an anonymous limited liability company represented by Mr. Epstein’s longtime lawyer.
In a Vanity Fair article a few years later, Mr. Epstein described Ms. Maxwell as his “best friend.” He said that she was not on his payroll, though the story noted that she seemed to organize much of his life.In a Vanity Fair article a few years later, Mr. Epstein described Ms. Maxwell as his “best friend.” He said that she was not on his payroll, though the story noted that she seemed to organize much of his life.
Their entanglement came with a darker side: Mr. Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 in Florida to state charges of soliciting prostitution, and a 2009 lawsuit against Mr. Epstein claimed that he and Ms. Maxwell sexually abused one woman when she was 16. Ms. Maxwell has denied the claims. Questions about the nature of their close relationship, however, emerged over the years.
Still, for years Ms. Maxwell’s social standing appeared unscathed. In 2013, she stood with Lloyd C. Blankfein, then the chief executive of Goldman Sachs, at an event supporting marriage equality and was pictured alongside Michael R. Bloomberg, then the mayor of New York, at a book party. Mr. Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 in Florida to state charges of soliciting prostitution, and a 2009 lawsuit against Mr. Epstein claimed that he and Ms. Maxwell sexually abused one woman when she was 16. Ms. Maxwell has denied the claims.
For years Ms. Maxwell’s social standing had appeared unscathed. In 2013, she stood with Lloyd C. Blankfein, then the chief executive of Goldman Sachs, at an event supporting marriage equality and was pictured alongside Michael R. Bloomberg, then the mayor of New York, at a book party.
But after Virginia Giuffre, who had accused Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell in the 2009 lawsuit of abusing her as a teenager, filed a defamation suit against Ms. Maxwell in 2015, she disappeared from the party circuit and was rarely spotted in public.
Matthew Goldstein contributed reporting.Matthew Goldstein contributed reporting.