Ghislaine Maxwell, who once teamed up with royalty, president and millionaire, was sentenced to 20 years in prison yesterday for helping financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse a minor girl.
His harsh ruling was a punctuation mark in a trial that seduced a vulnerable 14-year-old girl and investigated the sneaky rituals of a couple of rich and famous predator powers who exploited them.
Prosecutors said Epstein, who committed suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial, had sexually abused his child hundreds of times over a decade and could not have done so without Maxwell’s help. rice field. abuse.
In December, a jury convicted Maxwell for sexual trafficking and transferred minors to participate in illegal sexual activity and two conspiracy charges.
U.S. district judge Alison J. Nathan, who also fined $ 750,000, said “a very important judgment is needed” and sent an “unmistakable message” that this type of crime will be punished. I said I want to.
The prosecutor asked the judge to imprison her for 30 to 55 years, but the 60-year-old defense demanded a five-year sentence.
Maxwell wore a blue prison uniform and a white mask to comply with the rules of the coronavirus and looked at one side when the decision was announced.
“We will continue to live with the harm she has caused us,” said Annie Farmer, one of the four whistleblowers who testified to Maxwell before the ruling.
When she had the opportunity to speak, Maxwell said she sympathized with the survivors and that it was her “meeting Jeffrey Epstein was the greatest regret of my life.”
Maxwell called him “manipulative, cunning and dominant man” and repeated her defense counsel’s claim that Epstein was the true mastermind.
Maxwell, who denies abusing someone, said she hopes that her beliefs and her “abnormal imprisonment” will bring about some “measure of peace and finality.”
Judge Nathan refused to exempt Maxwell from liability and revealed that she was being punished for her own actions, not for Epstein’s actions.
She called the crime “evil and predatory,” and said Maxwell, as a sophisticated adult woman, provided a safe veneer because she “normalized” sexual abuse.
Several survivors, including Farmer, said her sister and herself tried to publish their story about Epstein and Maxwell 20 years ago, but were shut down by a powerful couple, their sexuality. I explained about abuse.
In a crowded courtroom, three of Maxwell’s brothers sat side by side behind her, but most of the others attended were members of the media.
Alison Moe, US Federal Prosecutor’s Assistant, talked about how Maxwell was exposed to a “horrible nightmare” by taking the girls to Epstein.
“They were criminal partners together, and they molested these children together,” she said, calling Maxwell “a person indifferent to the suffering of other humans.”
The relationship between Epstein and Maxwell’s celebrities wasn’t a prominent part of the trial, but friends such as Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, and Prince Andrew of the United Kingdom mentioned how the pair connected them to impress their prey. I showed how I used it.
Over the last 17 years, dozens of women have accused Epstein of abuse, and many have described Maxwell as Madame who hired them.
However, the trial revolved around claims from only a handful of those women.
The four testified that they were abused as teenagers in the 1990s and early 2000s at Epstein’s mansion in Florida, New York, New Mexico, and the Virgin Islands.
The three were identified in court only by name or pseudonym to protect their privacy. TV actress Jane. Kate, a former model from the UK. And Carolyn, a mom who is now recovering from addiction.
The fourth was Farmer, the only whistleblower who identified himself in court under her real name.
They explained how Maxwell fascinated them with conversations and gifts, and promised that Epstein could use his wealth and connections to help them realize their dreams.
Then they testified, she led them to give Epstein a massage.
Carolyn was one of several underprivileged teens who lived near Epstein’s Florida home in the early 2000s, in exchange for a $ 100 bill that prosecutors described as a “pyramid of abuse.” Testified that he offered to massage.
Maxwell made all the arrangements, Carolyn told the jury, even though she knew the girl was only 14 at the time.
The allegations against Epstein first publicly surfaced in 2005.
He was found guilty of sexual charges in Florida and sentenced to 13 months in prison. Many were work release programs as part of a deal that was criticized for being generous.
After that, he had to register as a sex offender.
In the years that followed, many women sued Epstein on suspicion of abuse.
One Virginia Robert claimed that Epstein and Maxwell also put pressure on her in sexual attempts with other powerful men, including Prince Andrew.
All of those men denied the allegations, and Ms. Giuffre finally settled the proceedings against Andrew out of court.
Federal prosecutors in New York have revived the proceedings against Epstein after the 2018 Miami Herald story brought new attention to his crimes.
He was arrested in 2019, but committed suicide a month later.
Eleven months after his death, Maxwell was arrested in New Hampshire estate.
A citizen of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, she has remained in New York City’s federal prison ever since, as lawyers have repeatedly criticized her for being unfairly under suicide surveillance a few days before her sentence.