Nov. 29 marked the beginning of the opening statements of Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial, as she allegedly recruited underage girls for Jeffery Epstein to sexually abuse from 1994-2004. Maxwell, a British socialite and former long-term romantic partner of Epstein, is currently undergoing trial for the multitude of charges placed upon her of sex trafficking, conspiracy and coercion of minors.
Epstein’s case disturbed the world when it was learned that he’d sexually abused close to 100 women, where the youngest reported victim was 11 years old. His sexual crimes reportedly terrified people across the world as the entirety of this abuse seemed to be happening right in front of their eyes.
The Netflix original documentary, “Jeffery Epstein: The Filthy Rich” covers all the details of Epstein’s schemes, as well as his conviction and later death in prison. Within the series, we see the prominent role that Maxwell allegedly played in manipulating young girls, encouraging their involvement with Epstein and disguising the relationship with him as one of an employment opportunity.
Approaching Maxwell’s trial in the Federal District Courthouse in Manhattan, prosecutors faced conflict in finding adequate jury members for the trial. This conflict stemmed from the high volume of media exposure, as well as traveling and work conflicts of the holiday season, which the trial is taking place during.
As reported by NBC News, Maxwell pled not guilty to the following charges brought upon her:
- Conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts
- Coercion or enticement of female
- Conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity
- Coercion or enticement of minor female
- Sex trafficking conspiracy
- Sex trafficking of children by force, fraud or coercion
Following the New York Times Daily Live updates of the trial, it’s become apparent that yet another female victim came forward, under the pseudonym “Kate.”
Kate testified that Maxwell befriended her in London to later recruit her as one of the “massage” providers at Epstein’s U.S. Virgin Islands home, which law enforcement determined to be the space that the couple brought and abused all of their victims. Kate, at the time of meeting Maxwell, was only 17. These “massages” that Maxwell and Epstein convinced the young girls they would be paid to provide, allegedly always led to sexual encounters with Epstein.
Maxwell presented herself as an elegant, unattainable woman that almost every young girl that encountered her admired. The couple advertised their alleged coercion as philanthropic efforts to help young people financially.
During her testimony, Kate described the middle man role that Maxwell played in her relationship with Epstein. Not only did Maxwell allegedly coordinate the victims sexual encounters with Epstein, but she also had allegedly asked Kate to find physically similar young girls who needed to “have sex three times a day,” Rebecca Davis O’Brien and Benjamin Weiser of The New York Times reported. Kate was the second out of four newly-accounted-for accusers to have been allegedly groomed and sexually abused by the couple.
The trial continues to unfold and is expected to continue for the next six weeks.
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