Ghislaine Maxwell Convicted

*** Trigger Warning: Mention of rape/sexual harrassement of minors and abuse***

The case of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell has finally been put to rest. Maxwell, Epstein’s accomplice, was convicted of five out of six counts for which she was charged. 

Jeffrey Epstein was a Wall Street financier who used to be a math teacher, but eventually started his own firm after working for numerous years at the investment bank Bear Stearns, acquiring various exotic properties around the world, including some in Paris, Florida, New York City, and even a private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands over the years. Ghislaine Maxwell was a British socialite whose father, Robert Maxwell, was a wealthy media proprietor. Maxwell and Epstein had an undefined relationship, but they were involved romantically for a few years and Maxwell was later on described as Epstein’s “assistant.”

Beginning in the 90s, Epstein and Maxwell would lure dozens of women as young as 14 to his homes in New York and Florida. The victims would be paid, in cash, to give Epstein “massages,” which would eventually become sexual. Often some of them would even be paid to recruit more minors for sexual abuse, creating a large network of victims for him to exploit. 

This first started being investigated in March of 2005 when, according to the Miami Herald, a 14 year old reported that Epstein had molested her after being led to his Palm Beach mansion by a classmate. Police started interviewing associates of Epistein and other victims who’d come forward and found substantial evidence (including the names and phone numbers of younger victims that were found in his home). Despite this information, he was only arrested almost 15 years later in 2019 and eventually died in jail while awaiting trial in August of that year. 

In July 2020, Ghislaine Maxwell was found hiding out in a mansion in New Hampshire almost a year later and arrested. She was charged on six counts, which included sex trafficking, conspiracy to entice and transport minors across state lines to engage in sexual activity, transportation of minors to engage in sexual activity, and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and enticement of minors to travel to engage in sexual activity.

In December 2021, after the jury’s five day-deliberation, Maxwell was found guilty on all counts except for enticement of minors to travel to engage in sexual activity. She faces up to 65 years in prison for these crimes. 

Many consider this conviction as a sign that the criminal justice system has finally heard victims sexually abused by Epstein and Maxwell for years. 

But Virginia Giuffre, one of the most well-known and outspoken victims, is continuing the fight for victims of sexual abuse. Former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump and British royal Prince Andrew have all been associated with Epstein and Maxwell over the years, either having partied with them or visited their homes. 

Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew specifically, claiming that he “sexually assaulted and battered” her in London at Maxwell’s home when she was 17 years old. The Prince’s attorney tried to block this, reasoning that she has resided in Australia for years and therefore could not pursue the case which was filed in New York. However, Giuffre’s lawyers presented this as “just another in a series of tired attempts by Prince Andrew to duck and dodge the legal merits of the case” which eventually led to the judge’s decision to let the lawsuit continue. 

Despite this victory, there are still legal hurdles that Giuffre has to overcome in order to win her case. Notably, a settlement was recently made public between her and Epstein, which stated that “any other person or entity which could have been included as a potential defendant” was no longer liable for any actions against her. It remains to be seen how the judge will decide to proceed based on this information. 

Regardless of whether any of the others associated with Epstein are convicted or are even forced to pay damages, however, the most important thing at this moment is that victims can feel safe now that both of their abusers, Epstein and Maxwell have finally been brought to justice. 

For additional information: 

Time article that covers everything about the Epstein case

“Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich” on Netflix

Article by Zoe Duni of Walter Johnson High School

Photo courtesy of Unsplash