A jury in New York made up of six women and six men, found Ghislaine Maxwell guilty on five of six counts related to her role in Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse of minor girls between 1994 and 2004.
In the phot above, Donald and Melania Trump appear with Jeffrey Epstein and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell in a 2000 photo taken at Mar-a-Lago.
Maxwell, 60, was found guilty of five federal charges: sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and three related counts of conspiracy.
“A unanimous jury has found Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of one of the worst crimes imaginable – facilitating and participating in the sexual abuse of children. Crimes that she committed with her long-time partner and co-conspirator, Jeffrey Epstein,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams. “The road to justice has been far too long. But, today, justice has been done.”
“I want to commend the bravery of the girls – now grown women – who stepped out of the shadows and into the courtroom,” said Williams. “Their courage and willingness to face their abuser made this case, and today’s result, possible.”
“I also want to thank the career prosecutors of the Southern District of New York, who embraced the victims’ quest for justice and have worked tirelessly, day in and day out, to ensure that Maxwell was held accountable for her crimes,” said Williams. “This Office will always stand with victims, will always follow the facts wherever they lead, and will always fight to ensure that no one, no matter how powerful and well connected, is above the law.”
The verdict came on the sixth day of jury deliberations, after about 40 hours of deliberation. Maxwell was acquitted on the charge of enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts.
Maxwell, who now faces up to 65 years in prison, showed no reaction as the verdicts were read and she only took the stand to state that she would not testify on her own behalf. Judge Alison Nathan did not set a sentencing date.
Epstein, the one-time millionaire hedge fund manager, allegedly died by suicide in jail in 2019.
Former U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman, who brought the original 2019 indictment against Epstein, told ABC News in his first public comment about the Maxwell case, “I congratulate the prosecution team for delivering justice for the victims.”
“I am so relieved and grateful that the jury recognized the pattern of predatory behavior that Maxwell engaged in for years and found her guilty of these crimes,” said Annie Farmer, one of four accusers who testified against Maxwell. “I hope that this verdict brings solace to all who need it … even those with great power and privilege will be held accountable when they sexually abuse and exploit the young.”
Epstein maintained long-term relationships with various high-profile individuals, including disgraced former President Donald Trump; President Bill Clinton; attorney Alan Dershowitz; billionaire Leslie Wexner, holdings to include Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, Express, Inc., and Bath & Body Works; and Prince Andrew, Duke of York, who is ninth in the line of succession to the British throne.