Ghislaine Maxwell’s brother claims she is being targeted by authorities desperate to convict someone for Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes.
Billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein was arrested on multiple charges of sexually assaulting underage girls. He died in prison; his 2019 death was ruled a suicide. After he died while in custody, prosecutors turned their attention to his girlfriend, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
After Epstein’s death, federal prosecutors announced they would continue investigating anyone involved with recruiting minors or helping Epstein obtain sex with minors. Maxwell was arrested in June 2020 on charges she helped procure underage girls for him.
“This is not quite a put-up job, but nonetheless has been cobbled together so that Ghislaine is made to face the charges that Epstein never faced,” Ian Maxwell said. “And, she will not be broken because she believes completely in her innocence and she is going to give the best account she can.”
Maxwell pleaded “Not Guilty” and has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since her arrest. Four requests for bail have been denied.
Testimony is expected from four women who claim they were victimized as teens, between 1994 and 2004 at Epstein’s Palm Beach, Florida estate and his Manhattan mansion.
Prosecutors allege there is evidence Maxwell knew the victims, including a 14-year-old, were below the age of consent and arranged travel for them between Epstein’s homes, according to the Associated Press. Defense lawyers are reportedly claiming one of the four was 17 at the time in a jurisdiction where that was not legally underage. They are trying to keep her from testifying because they allege she was not an underage victim of Epstein.
“Maxwell played a critical role in helping Epstein identify, befriend and groom minor victims for abuse,” then-acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said after Maxwell’s arrest. “In some cases, Maxwell participated in the abuse herself.”
According to NBC News, Maxwell faces eight criminal counts tied to alleged efforts to entice minors to travel and engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and sex trafficking conspiracy.
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