At long last, Jeffrey Epstein’s accusers are facing one of their alleged abusers—Ghislaine Maxwell—in court.
Maxwell and Epstein had a tight-knit bond for decades. She was even Epstein’s girlfriend at one point. According to prosecutors, the British socialite helped Epstein “recruit, groom and ultimately abuse” teenage girls for years.
Maxwell reportedly pursued girls who were less likely to be missed. According to the accusers, she first befriended them. Only after gaining their trust, did she teach them how to please Epstein.
At least one accuser will testify that Maxwell physically participated in some of the abuse.
The 59-year-old faces up to 70 years in prison.
Will Maxwell’s Trial Give Solace to Epstein’s Accusers?
Fox News further reports:
The four accusers are expected to take the stand. The alleged victims and other witnesses will be remaining anonymous, and some will be testifying under a pseudonym. “Minor victim 1” will tell the jurors how she met Maxwell at “approximately 14 years old” and how Maxwell attempted to befriend her, taking her to the movies and on shopping trips, but also then sought to “normalize inappropriate and abusive” behavior by, for example, undressing in front of her and being present when the minor was undressed in front of Epstein. She will tell how Maxwell was not only present but also involved in some of Epstein’s sexual abuse.
The other three alleged victims will all talk about being befriended by Maxwell and being encouraged by her to perform sexual massages on Epstein. “Minor victim 4” will also tell how she was paid “hundreds of dollars in cash” directly by Maxwell for providing Epstein with sexualized massages.
Prosecutors will also showcase Maxwell’s intimate relationship with Epstein, including showing the jurors a picture of the pair swimming nude together. The government will also try to prove that she was paid by Epstein to “manage his various properties.”
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At least some of Maxwell’s and Epstein’s victims are expected to attend. Some of Maxwell’s family members and friends are also expected to attend, namely her sister Isabel Maxwell, who has been in the courtroom every day for jury selection.
One Last Chance for Justice?
In 2008, Epstein pled guilty to procuring a child for prostitution. And yet Maxwell remained close to the wealthy financier.
Epstein receiving a sweetheart deal, despite the open-and-shut case against him. Besides the “overwhelming” evidence, prosecutors had identified no less than 36 alleged victims of Epstein.
Most of them had no knowledge of the plea bargain. Indeed, acknowledge of the deal was kept from the victims. Throughout his adult life, Epstein maintained close friendships with celebrities, politicians and royalty. They included Bill Clinton, lawyer Alan Dershowitz and Great Britain’s Prince Andrew. All of them vehemently deny any wrongdoing.
Epstein and Donald Trump were friends for years. Trump banished him from Mar-a-Lago after Epstein reportedly hit on another club member’s teenage daughter.
Renewed outrage over his 2008 plea bargain came after the Miami Herald published a year-long investigative report into the agreement. Reporter Julie Brown spoke to no less than 60 Epstein accusers.
The Herald’s investigation started around the same time a federal judge ruled the deal between South Florida U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta and Epstein illegal.
Acosta defended the deal, saying he was told that Epstein “belonged to intelligence,” that the details were “above his pay grade” and “leave it alone.”
Following Epstein’s 2019 arrest by the FBI-NYPD Crimes Against Children Task Force, Acosta resigned as U.S. Secretary of Labor.
Weeks after corrections officers found him injured in his cell, guards stumbled upon his dead body on the morning of August 19, 2019.
Though New York City’s chief medical examiner ruled Epstein’s death a suicide, forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden found the injuries to be more consistent with “homicidal strangulation.”
After 11 months in hiding, FBI agents tracked Maxwell to a mansion in New Hampshire. For the past 500 days, she’s awaited trial in the Metropolitan Detention Center, Brooklyn. Most of that time has been in a 6′ x 9′ cell.
Maxwell will travel to Manhattan each day for the trial.
As a native Iowan, Jeff grew up with a ringside seat to the Iowa caucuses. He knew early on that his involvement in our democratic process would go beyond voting for candidates and causes he cared about—Jeff wanted to use his voice to make a real difference.
If it starts getting too close to Clinton’s there will be more dead bodies to be found.