Ghislaine Maxwell helped 'recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims' for Epstein - indictment
Record ID:
1560342
Ghislaine Maxwell helped 'recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims' for Epstein - indictment
- Title: Ghislaine Maxwell helped 'recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims' for Epstein - indictment
- Date: 2nd July 2020
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 2, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SCANS OF SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE INDICTMENT AGAINST GHISLAINE MAXWELL SCAN OF SCROLLING INDICTMENT SCAN OF INDICTMENT PASSAGE READING (English): 'BEGINNING IN AT LEAST 1994, GHISLAINE MAXWELL, THE DEFENDANT, ENTICED AND GROOMED MULTIPLE MINOR GIRLS TO ENGAGE IN SEX ACTS WITH JEFFREY EPSTEIN, THROUGH A VARIETY OF MEANS AND METHODS...' SCAN OF INDICTMENT PASSAGE READING (English): 'HAVING DEVELOPED A RAPPORT WITH A VICTIM, MAXWELL WOULD TRY TO NORMALIZE SEXUAL ABUSE FOR A MINOR VICTIM BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, DISCUSSING SEXUAL TOPICS, UNDRESSING IN FRONT OF THE VICTIMS, AND/OR BEING PRESENT FOR SEX ACTS INVOLVING THE MINOR VICTIM AND EPSTEIN'
- Embargoed: 16th July 2020 15:47
- Keywords: FBI Jeffrey Epstein Prince Andrew authorities federal court sexual assault
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA001CL4AZ47
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and longtime associate of the late accused sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested in New Hampshire on Thursday (July 2) on U.S. charges of helping to lure underage girls who were then sexually abused by Epstein.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Maxwell about 8:30 a.m. ET (1230 GMT) in Bradford, New Hampshire, about 25 miles west of Concord, an agency spokeswoman said on Thursday.
She was expected to appear in federal court in New Hampshire on Thursday to discuss her bail or continued detention, according to a law enforcement official.
Epstein was awaiting trial on charges of trafficking minors when he was found hanged in an apparent suicide while in a New York City jail in August.
The indictment charged Maxwell, 58, with conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts and conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
She was also charged with two counts of perjury, according to the indictment by the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, Audrey Strauss.
A lawyer who represented Maxwell in civil litigation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The indictment accuses Maxwell of luring the girls by asking them about their lives, schools and families and taking them shopping or to movies.
After winning the girls' trust, the indictment alleges she would try to "normalize sexual abuse" by discussing sexual topics or by undressing in front of the victims or being present when a victim was undressed.
The indictment alleges that Maxwell was well-aware of Epstein's preference for minor girls and that he intended to sexually abuse them. Epstein's alleged abuse included touching their genitals, placing sex toys on their genitals and having the girls touch Epstein while he masturbated.
Maxwell also encouraged the young girls to massage Epstein, and in some cases, the victims were partially or fully nude during the massages.
Maxwell, the daughter of late British media magnate Robert Maxwell, has kept a low profile since the death of Epstein, a financier who was accused of raping and trafficking underage girls over nearly two decades. Some of Epstein's alleged victims have said Maxwell lured them into his circle, where they were sexually abused by him and powerful friends.
Maxwell was an ex-girlfriend of Epstein who became a longtime member of his inner circle. In a 2003 Vanity Fair article, Epstein was quoted as saying Maxwell was his "best friend."
(Production: Hyeongmi Kim, Catherine Koppel) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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