THE unfounded claim that Jeffrey Epstein's "madam" had a "list of co-conspirators" is not related to Ghislaine Maxwell's 2021 case.
A recently shared social media post claimed a document revealed a list of co-defendants in Maxwell's 2021 federal case, but a USA Today fact check has revealed that's incorrect as the list was from a civil lawsuit that was discarded.
The alleged list of approximately 40 individuals and groups was posted to Facebook on November 22 and Maxwell's 2021 case began seven days later.
The defense team for Jeffrey Epstein's alleged madam began its case on Thursday after prosecutors rested last week following a number of witnesses over 10 days, including four alleged accusers and two of Epstein's former pilots.
It has been announced that Maxwell decided she will not testify in her trial, as she had been said to be “too fragile” to take the witness stand.
Read our Ghislaine Maxwell live blog for the very latest news and updates…
- Danielle Cinone
When was Maxwell arrested?
Ghislaine was arrested suddenly in July 2020 – and has been held in prison ever since as she was deemed a flight risk.
She has pleaded not guilty to eight counts of sex trafficking and other charges for her alleged role in recruiting and grooming four teenagers for Epstein to abuse between 1994 and 2004.
Her attorneys say she is being scapegoated because Epstein is no longer alive.
- Danielle Cinone
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.
- Danielle Cinone
What was Jeffrey Epstein accused of?
Jeffrey Epstein was accused of abusing women and underage girls for decades, assembling a network of enablers to help carry out and cover up his crimes.
The serial sex abuser reportedly made a secret plea deal with the government in 2008 to avoid a potential life sentence and continued to abuse women.
- Danielle Cinone
Maxwell's lawyers warned her 'life is on the line'
Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers have warned her "life is on the line" as they beg for more time to find witnesses in her sex trafficking trial.
On day 12 of the trial, Maxwell’s lawyer Laura Menninger begged Judge Alison Nathan for more time to find witnesses – claiming Maxwell's "life is on the line."
She told the court: "I understand that your honor runs a tight ship.
"We are flying people across the country, across the pond, our client’s life is on the line, and we are given only a half a day to put on a witness."
Judge Nathan said that she was not inclined to delay the trial.
- Danielle Cinone
Maxwell's ex-assistant claims Epstein would see other women
Jeffery Epstein would see other women behind socialite Ghislaine Maxwell’s back, her ex-assistant told the court this week.
Cimberly Espinosa, 55, who was hired by Epstein and then worked for Maxwell for six years, said she was once tasked with buying flowers for another woman.
The witness — the first to testify at the start of Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial defense — described a parade of women visiting billionaire pedophile Epstein in his New York office from 1996 to 2002.
Asked how old they were, she told a court in Manhattan: “Eighteen and over. Young women.”
- Danielle Cinone
What does the 17-page indictment against Maxwell accuse her of?
The 17-page indictment against Maxwell accused her of grooming and befriending victims, normalizing inappropriate behavior, being present during abuse to put victims at ease, encouraging victims to accept Epstein's help, and encouraging victims to engage in sexual activity and taking part herself.
One accuser Jennifer Araoz said Maxwell was at the "center of his sex trafficking ring."
If convicted on all counts, Maxwell could face up to 80 years in prison.
Maxwell denies all accusations.
- Danielle Cinone
What has Maxwell been charged with?
Prosecutors allege that between 1994 and 1997 Maxwell helped Epstein to groom girls as young as 14.
Maxwell has been charged with six counts of perjury and sex trafficking offenses:
- Count one: Conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts
- Count two: Enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts
- Count three: Conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity
- Count four: Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity
- Count five and six: Perjury – the offence of wilfully telling an untruth or making a misrepresentation under oath.
Why isn't the Ghislaine Maxwell trial televised?
This mostly has to do with different jurisdictions having different rules regarding the publicity – and broadcasting – in courtrooms.
The two previous cases were conducted in county courts, meanwhile, Maxwell's trial is in federal court, which has different jurisdictional rules.
A federal court has some rules that allow some cameras in civil cases, but have barred broadcasting criminal cases since 1946 under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 53.
However, some to most state and criminal courts have allowed trial broadcasts on a case by case basis, sometimes earning plenty of ire from others.
Many complained that broadcasting trials, in turn, extended cases longer than they had to – saying it encouraged grandstanding from lawyers, judges and witnesses knowing they had a national audience.
How many charges is Maxwell facing?
She is facing six charges.
The socialite and ex of convicted sex offender is currently charged with multiple felony accounts some of which include human trafficking charges.
Maxwell's lawyers have painted the victims as in it for cash and claim they are using Maxwell as a scapegoat for Epstein's crimes.
- Danielle Cinone
When is Ghislain Maxwell's trial?
Her trial was scheduled to start on July 2, 2021, set by Judge Alison Nathan.
Maxwell's trial officially began on November 29, 2021, and is currently ongoing.
Her lawyers are demanding a judge gag Epstein victims from speaking out for fear that she will not get a fair trial.
A lawyer for one victim claimed Maxwell broke down in tears when she was denied bail because knows she could face a lifetime in prison.
- H. J. Hayes
Witness details Epstein's alleged infidelities
Cimberly Espinosa said that among the women she knew Epstein bought flowers for was Brit Shelley Lewis, who is said to have dated Epstein for three years.
Espinosa also recalled seeing socialite Gwendolyn Beck and a third woman, Celina Midelfart, a Norwegian heiress.
The witness said she remembered ordering flowers for Midelfart on Epstein’s behalf in the 1990s.
That was when he was also dating Maxwell, the New York court was told.
- H. J. Hayes
Epstein 'bought flowers' for girls
Jeffrey Epstein would see other women behind socialite Ghislaine Maxwell’s back, her ex-assistant told a court on Wednesday.
Cimberly Espinosa, 55, who was hired by Epstein and then worked for Maxwell for six years, said she was once tasked with buying flowers for another woman.
The witness — the first to testify at the start of Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial defence — described a parade of women visiting billionaire paedophile Epstein in his New York office from 1996 to 2002.
Asked how old they were, she told a court in Manhattan: “Eighteen and over. Young women.”
- H. J. Hayes
Defense prepares plan for trial
Maxwell's lawyers have scrambled to put together a line-up after the prosecution rested their case two weeks earlier than anticipated.
In a letter, Maxwell’s lead lawyer Bobbi Sternheim told Judge Alison Nathan some of the witnesses will be traveling from abroad.
She also requested three witnesses be granted the right to testify anonymously — after the four accusers in the case were allowed to give evidence using pseudonyms.
Meanwhile, just a small portion of Maxwell’s “little black book” — with the contact details for thousands of people including Prince Andrew — will be released publicly.
- H. J. Hayes
Defense objected to showing photos
Prosecutors claim the interior of Epstein’s mansion is proof of a sexualized atmosphere encouraged by Maxwell to put pressure on the victims.
The evidence was presented over the objection of the defense, with Maxwell’s lawyer saying it was an attempt to unfairly depict the house as a “domicile of debauchery”.
- H. J. Hayes
Pilot claims Donald Trump was on Epstein’s plane
Lawrence Visoski, Epstein’s former pilot who testified 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.
- H. J. Hayes
Photo of Maxwell and Epstein shown at trial
A framed photo of Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein kissing was shown at her sex trafficking trial on Tuesday, December 7.
The never-before-seen picture showing them in a clench was sitting on a table at Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion.
Also shown on the table at the paedophile multi-millionaire’s mansion is a picture of the pair meeting Pope John Paul II.
- H. J. Hayes
Farmer believed she would receive tuition support
Farmer said she believed Epstein would help her pay for her college education, and expected other students to be at the ranch – which there weren’t.
While at the ranch, Maxwell offered to give Farmer a massage, Farmer testified.
Farmer, now 42, agreed to receive the massage and got undressed, she said. Maxwell touched her breasts during the massage, Farmer said.
“Once she pulled down the sheet I felt kind of frozen,” Farmer said.
Later on during the trip, Farmer said Epstein came into her room and climbed into bed with her.
“Suddenly Epstein kind of opened my door, bounding into the room in a playful way, saying that he wanted to cuddle,” Farmer said, adding that Epstein “pressed his body into me.”
She said she became uncomfortable and said she had to use the bathroom, which she described as an “excuse” to get away from Epstein.
- H. J. Hayes
Annie Farmer testifies in court
Testifying at Maxwell’s ongoing sex trafficking and abuse trial in New York Friday, Annie Farmer said she met the disgraced financier and his alleged madam at just 16.
Farmer – the only accuser taking to the stand under her real name – says Maxwell, 59, tried to coax her into a sexual encounter when she was a teen, alleging the pair plied her with gifts.
She testified that Epstein took her to see the cinema with her older sister Maria – who was working for him at the time in New York – and during the film, the multi-millionaire pedophile “caressed” her hand and then her leg.
“I felt sick to my stomach. It wasn’t something that I was at all expecting,” she told the court.
She claimed that age of 16, she visited Epstein at his New Mexico ranch in the spring of 1996, where she met Maxwell for the first time.
- H. J. Hayes
Buckingham Palace denies Prince Andrew allegations
Buckingham Palace denied the allegation in 2015 saying “any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors” by the Duke was “categorically untrue”.
“Any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is categorically untrue.”
“It is emphatically denied that the Duke of York had any form of sexual contact with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.”
- H. J. Hayes
Celebrities 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.
- H. J. Hayes
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.
- H. J. Hayes
Prosecutors released more than 60 photos
As part of the case, prosecutors have released more than 60 photos from a police raid at Jeffrey Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion.
Some of the pictures shown to the jury include Ghislaine Maxwell and Epstein kissing, and one that appears to be a nude photo of Maxwell.
- H. J. Hayes
Word doc: Maxwell and Epstein were ‘best friends’
FBI agents found a Word document, created by using the name ‘gmax’, which has been linked to Maxwell, that described the defendant’s relationship with Epstein.
It read: “Jeffrey and Ghislaine have been together, a couple, for the last 11 years.”
“They are, contrary to what many people think, rarely apart. I almost always see them together.”
It continued: “Ghislaine is highly intelligent and great company with a ready smile and an infectious laugh, will always put one at one’s ease and always makes one feel welcome.”
“Jeffrey and Ghislaine share many mutual interests and they have a lot of fun together. Jeffrey and Ghislaine complement each other really well and I can’t imagine one without the other.”
“On top of being partners, they are also the best of friends.”
- H. J. Hayes
Documents found during police raid
Prosecutors have detailed a cache of documents that were seized from Epstein’s New York mansion during a raid in 2019.
A large safe containing binders of CDs, cash, computer hard drives, diamonds, and passports was found.
FBI agents left the house to obtain a warrant for the safe, but when they returned four days later everything from the safe was gone.
The items were later returned in two suitcases by one of Epstein’s lawyers and the safe was later found buried in a closet.
- H. J. Hayes
35 witnesses may be called
The defense in the Ghislaine Maxwell case may call on as many as 35 witnesses, The Independent reported.
However, a spokesperson for the Maxwell family told The Daily Telegraph that “Ghislaine Maxwell is unlikely to testify at her own trial over serious worries she is too fragile and will not be able to acquit herself properly”.
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