THE sex trafficking trial of Jeffrey's Epstein's alleged "madam" Ghislaine Maxwell started on Monday, and Lawrence Visoski, Epstein's former pilot who is testifying for the prosecution, claimed former President Donald Trump flew on Epstein's aircraft.
Visoski was asked during cross examination about passengers on Epstein's Gulf Stream plane and confirmed Trump, Prince Andrew, and former President Bill Clinton had all flown on it.
"I certainly remember President Trump, but not many people associated with him," the pilot told the trial.
Prosecutors allege that an address book containing the contact information of the alleged victims belonged to Maxwell, and that she and Epstein used it.
The court will hear testimony about the book from a former employee at Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion.
The judge said after hearing the testimony, she will then decide if the jury can see any of the book.
The news comes as false reports of the press being banned from the courtroom emerged.
Before the crux of the trial even got underway, online trolls claimed there was a "gag order" barring coverage of the event, but there is no such order in place for the trial, according to Newsweek.
The case could see bombshell revelations from the murky world of Epstein emerge as Maxwell answers six charges relating to the trafficking and abuse of four victims.
Maxwell faces allegations that she procured girls for Epstein while also participating in the abuse herself on a number of occasions. Prosecutors allege she and Epstein exploited girls as young as 14.
Maxwell’s lawyers deny all charges against her and will attempt to argue her relationship with Epstein has been overstated.
Read our Ghislaine Maxwell live blog for the latest news and updates…
- G. P. Rodriguez
THE PILOT'S TESTIMONY
Pilot Larry Visoski said: "[Maxwell] was the one that pretty much handled most of the finance, my expenses, spending in the office."
Visoski also told the jury how he would often shuttle Epstein and his guests between his luxury homes in New York, Florida, New Mexico, Paris and the Virgin Islands.
Maxwell's name and those of some of the alleged abuse victims appear in the flight logs, said Assistant US Attorney Lara Pomerantz.
- G. P. Rodriguez
THE 'LOLITA EXPRESS'
The Boeing 727 is said to have played host to Epstein's VIP pals including Bill Clinton and Donald Trump.
It became part of the evidence on Tuesday at the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, the Brit socialite accused of "serving up" girls for Epstein to abuse.
Pilot Larry Visoski told a Manhattan court Maxwell was Epstein's "number two" and would often contact him to schedule flights.
- G. P. Rodriguez
EPSTEIN 'LIKED TO BE MASSAGED HARD'
Epstein would like to be massaged "hard" – including acts like "twisting his nipples", Jane added.
Epstein would pay for things for Jane, such as clothes and singing lessons, the court heard.
Jane claimed she travelled with the couple and visited properties in New York and New Mexico with flights on his private jet.
And the couple would allegedly talk about their high profile social circle, mentioning names such as Donald Trump and Bill Clinton.
- G. P. Rodriguez
MAXWELL WAS 'VEY CASUAL,' SAYS ALLEGED VICTIM
On one occasion, alleged witness "Jane" said she watched as Epstein fondled himself as Ghislaine "rubbed" and "kissed" him, the court heard.
"She was very casual, like this was entirely normal. I was confused. When you are 14 you have no idea what is going on," she said.
She also claimed on one occasion she saw Maxwell and four other women topless by a pool.
And in another instance she was brought up to Epstein's bedroom at his mansion in Palm Beach.
"They moved me over to the bed and took their clothes off. And they started to sort’ve like fondle each other," she said.
"They asked me to take my top off. Then there were hands everywhere."
- G. P. Rodriguez
MAXWELL AND EPSTEIN SAID THEY WERE 'BENEFACTORS'
The alleged victim explained how she was first approached by the couple at an arts summer camp in Michigan.
Jane was a singer, but she said her family was struggling financially after her dad's death.
Epstein and Maxwell allegedly said they were benefactors supporting the camp – and they struck up what appeared to be a friendship with her and her mum.
But she claimed this relationship escalated and she was then subjected to regular sexual abuse by Epstein.
Jane told the court she was subjected to abuse "every time" she visited his house.
Sometimes she would be made to participate in an "orgy", she said.
- G. P. Rodriguez
'FROZEN IN FEAR'
Jane claimed that she was just 14 when Epstein first sexually abused her – and said Maxwell was in the room at the time.
The alleged victim said she was "frozen in fear" having never seen a penis before.
She claimed that Maxwell would also instruct her how to give Epstein sexual massages and sometimes physically participated in the encounters.
And at one point during her testimony, Jane started to sob.
Maxwell denies all charges – and her lawyers claim she is being made a "scapegoat" after Epstein's death.
- G. P. Rodriguez
FIRST ALLEGED VICTIM TESTIFIES
Witness "Jane" testifies during Ghislaine Maxwell's trial on charges of sex trafficking, in a courtroom sketch in New York City on November 30, 2021.
The first of four accusers took to the stand on Tuesday as Maxwell faces six charges of sexual abuse and trafficking over her alleged role with Jeffrey Epstein.
Credit: Reuters - Jocelyn Cook
IS GHISLAINE MAXWELL MARRIED? CONTINUED
Maxwell later told the court she had tried to file for a divorce before her arrest so her husband wouldn’t suffer from "being associated with her."
Borgerson has always denied his relationship with Maxwell, claiming the two are just old friends.
Borgerson proposed to put forth most of Maxwell's bail money, which was denied by a judge, who ruled that the multi-million package was enough evidence to prove she could flee the country.
- Jocelyn Cook
IS GHISLAINE MAXWELL MARRIED?
Yes. However, prosecutors allege that she is continuing to conceal who she is married to.
Evidence points to her husband being millionaire tech company CEO Scott Borgerson.
Manhattan prosecutors have accused the British socialite of trying to hide her wealth.
Assistant US Attorney Alison Moe told Manhattan federal Judge Alison Nathan:
“The defendant also makes no mention whatsoever about the financial circumstances or assets of her spouse, whose identity she declined to provide to Pretrial Services."
- Jocelyn Cook
HOW LONG COULD MAXWELL FACE IN PRISON?
If convicted on all counts, Maxwell could face up to 80 years in prison.
Depending on how the trial goes and whether she is convicted, she could spend the rest of her life behind bars.
- Jocelyn Cook
WHO HAS BEEN CONNECTED TO EPSTEIN AND MAXWELL?
Notable politicians, billionaires, and celebrities have been connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwelll.
Some of them include Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, and Woody Allen.
Prince Andrew has been accused of sexual assault by Virginia Giuffre. A judge dismissed criminal charges in 2015, but Giufffre is pursuing a sexual assault lawsuit.
The case is scheduled to go on well into the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year in 2022.
- Jocelyn Cook
ALLEGED VICTIM CLAIMS SHE WAS 14 WHEN FIRST ASSAULTED BY EPSTEIN
"Jane" was asked about her experiences with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell during the trial on Tuesday.
She alleged that she was 14 when she first had sexual contact with Epstein, according to The Independent.
When questioned more, she said that Ghislaine Maxwell was in the room.
- Jocelyn Cook
ALLEGED VICTIM TAKES STAND
“Minor victim 1” in the indictment against Ghislaine Maxwell took the stand on Tuesday, according to The Independent.
She will be known by the pseudonym “Jane” for the trial.
The court sketch artist is not allowed to depict her, the outlet noted.
- Jocelyn Cook
PILOT CLAIMS FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS ON EPSTEIN'S PLANE
Lawrence Visoski, Epstein's former pilot who is testifying for the prosecution, was asked during cross examination about passengers aboard Epstein's Gulf Stream plane.
He confirmed former President Donald Trump, Prince Andrew, and former President Bill Clinton had all flown on it.- along with other big names like Kevin Spacey, Chris Tucker and violinist Itzhak Perlman.
He told the court he never saw any sexual activity on the flight, or any underage girls without their parents.
"I certainly remember President Trump, but not many people associated with him," the pilot told the trial.
- Jocelyn Cook
WHO IS VIRGINIA GIUFFRE?
Virginia Giuffre is 38-years-old and from Sacramento, California.
She is married to Robert Giuffre and has three children.
She is known for being a public victim of Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking ring, and has allegedly been trafficked to Prince Andrew.
Giuffre is an advocate of justice for sex trafficking survivors, and she created a non-profit organization called Victims Refuse Silence, which is based in the US.
- Jocelyn Cook
WILL THERE BE ANOTHER TRIAL?
The trial currently underway is addressing the six counts in connection to an alleged sex trafficking scheme with Jeffrey Epstein.
Ghislaine Maxwell was also charged with two counts of perjury in connection to a sworn deposition. There will be a separate trial for those charges, which has yet to be scheduled.
- Jocelyn Cook
PILOT CLAIMS PRINCE ANDREW RODE ON EPSTEIN'S PLANE
Lawrence Paul Visoski Jr, who was Jeffrey Epstein’s pilot from 1991 to 2019, continued testifying on Tuesday and was asked about several notable passengers on Jeffrey Epstein's plane.
He testified that Prince Andrew flew on Epstein's plane, according to a report of the proceedings on Twitter from InnerCityPress.
- Jocelyn Cook
WHEN DID JEFFREY EPSTEIN BECOME A CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER?
Epstein became a convicted sex offender in 2008, after he pleaded guilty to two state prostitution charges.
He was charged again in 2019 with allegedly running a sex-trafficking enterprise out of his homes in Manhattan, New York, and Palm Beach, Florida.
- Jocelyn Cook
PILOT CONFIRMS BILL CLINTON FLEW ON EPSTEIN'S PLANE
Lawrence Paul Visoski Jr, who was Jeffrey Epstein’s pilot from 1991 to 2019, continued testifying on Tuesday.
He was asked whether former President Bill Clinton flew on Epstein’s plane and replied yes, adding that he was asked to clean up, according to The Independent.
- Jocelyn Cook
WHAT IS THE 'LITTLE BLACK BOOK'?
Prosecutors allege that an address book containing the contact information of the alleged victims belonged to Maxwell, and that she and Epstein used it.
The court will hear testimony about the book from a former employee at Epstein's Palm Beach mansion.
The judge said after hearing the testimony, she will then decide if the jury can see any of the book.
- Jocelyn Cook
PILOT TESTIFIES TO FREQUENT TRIPS TO EPSTEIN'S PRIVATE ISLAND
Visoski, Epstein's pilot for many years, said that he flew Epstein to his private island at least every 10 days for 20 years when he testified on Tuesday, according to The Independent.
He claimed that it was not unusual for Ghislaine Maxwell to be in the cockpit and that she flew his helicopters as well.
- Jocelyn Cook
PROCEEDINGS WILL RUN THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS
With a trial expected to last about six weeks, it's not likely we will see a conviction before the end of the holidays this year.
It is expected that Ghislaine Maxwell will turn 60 behind bars.
Her birthday falls on Christmas Day.
- Jocelyn Cook
DOES GHISLAINE MAXWELL HAVE KIDS?
Ghislaine Maxwell does not have any children of her own, but is reportedly the stepmother to her husband's children from his first marriage.
According to reports, Maxwell secretly wed tech millionaire Scott Borgerson in 2016.
Maxwell's own family didn't know about the wedding until her bail hearing, according to her brother, Ian.
- Jocelyn Cook
EPSTEIN'S PILOT TESTIFIES TODAY
Lawrence Paul Visoski Jr, who was Jeffrey Epstein's pilot from 1991 to 2019, began his testimony on Monday afternoon and is set to continue testifying on Tuesday.
Visoski previously testified that Maxwell oversaw Epstein’s households, according to The Guardian.
He was asked about Maxwell and Epstein’s relationship and said: “I thought it was more personal than business.”
- Jocelyn Cook
'THEY WERE KIDS BEING SEXUALLY EXPLOITED AND ABUSED'
“But was happening in those massage rooms was not massage. Those girls were not professional masseuses. They were kids being sexually exploited and abused," Pomerantz continued.
Not only did Maxwell groom the girls to be abused by Epstein, she even watched and took part, the court was told as the prosecutor opened the case.
“The defendant walked the girls into a room where she knew that man would molest them, and there were times she was in the room when it happened, making it all feel normal and casual. That is why we are here today."
"Sometimes, she was even in the room for the massages herself, and sometimes she touched the girls' bodies."
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