U.S. charges Ghislaine Maxwell with luring girls that Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused

Record ID: 1560393

  • Title: U.S. charges Ghislaine Maxwell with luring girls that Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused
  • Date: 2nd July 2020
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ACTING UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, AUDREY STRAUSS, SAYING: "Maxwell was among Epstein's closest associates and helped him exploit girls who were as young as 14 years old. Maxwell played a critical role in helping Epstein to identify, befriend and groom minor victims for abuse. In some cases, Maxwell participated in the abuse herself. As alleged, Maxwell and Epstein had a method. Typically, they would befriend these young girls by asking them questions about their lives, pretending to be taking an interest in them. They would take them to the movies and treat them to shopping trips. Maxwell would encourage these young girls to accept offers from Epstein to pay for their travel and their education, making these young victims feel indebted to Jeffrey Epstein. After developing a rapport with the victims, Maxwell then tried to normalize sexual abuse with a minor victim through a process known as grooming. For example, Maxwell would discuss sexual topics with the victim and undress in front of the victim or be present for sex acts involving the minor victims and Epstein. Maxwell's presence as an adult woman helped put the victims at ease. As Maxwell and Epstein intended, this grooming process left the minor victims susceptible to sexual abuse. That abuse included sexualized massages during which the minor victim was fully or partially nude. These sexualized massages developed into sexual encounters for which Maxwell, in some instances, was present and participated." STRAUSS STANDING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK ACTING UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, AUDREY STRAUSS, SAYING: "Maxwell enticed minor girls, got them to trust her, then delivered them into the trap that she and Epstein had set for them. She pretended to be a woman they could trust. All the while, she was setting them up to be sexually abused by Epstein and in some cases by Maxwell herself. Today, after many years, Ghislaine Maxwell finally stands charged for her role in these crimes." FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION ASSISTANT DIRECTOR-IN-CHARGE OF NEW YORK OFFICE WILLIAM F. SWEENEY JR. WALKING TO MICROPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION ASSISTANT DIRECTOR-IN-CHARGE OF NEW YORK OFFICE, WILLIAM F. SWEENEY JR., SAYING: "Today we announce the arrest of one of the villains in this investigation. Early this morning, Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested in Bradford, New Hampshire, by FBI special agents and NYPD detectives from the FBI, NYPD Crimes Against Children Task Force."
  • Embargoed: 16th July 2020 17:54
  • Keywords: Audrey Strauss FBI Ghislaine Maxwell Jeffrey Epstein Prince Andrew William Sweeney authorities federal court sexual assault
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK + CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, UNITED STATES
  • City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK + CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
  • Reuters ID: LVA002CL4B1HJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and longtime associate of the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested in Bradford, New Hampshire on Thursday (July 2) on U.S. charges of luring underage girls so that Epstein could sexually abuse them.
    The arrest of the British socialite adds another twist in the mystery of Epstein, whose high-flying lifestyle included private Caribbean islands and powerful connections that his victims say allowed him to abuse minors with impunity.
    Maxwell, 58, is charged with four counts related to procuring and transporting minors for illegal sex acts and two counts of perjury, according to the indictment by federal prosecutors in New York.
    Epstein was awaiting trial on federal charges of trafficking minors when he was found hanged in an apparent suicide while in a New York City jail in August. Previously, he pleaded guilty in Florida to state charges of solicitation of prostitution from a minor in a 2008 deal with prosecutors that was widely criticized as too lenient.
    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 Maxwell won the girls' trust, the indictment alleges, she would try to "normalize sexual abuse" by discussing sexual topics or by undressing in front of them or being present when they were 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, according to the indictment.
    "These sexualized massages developed into sexual encounters for which Maxwell, in some instances, was present and participated," said Southern District of New York Acting United States Attorney Audrey Strauss during a news conference in New York City.
    "Like Epstein, Miss Maxwell chose to blatantly disregard the law and her responsibilities as adult, using whatever means she had at her disposal to lure vulnerable youth into behavior (to which) they should never have been exposed and which creates lasting harm," added Federal Bureau of Investigation Assistant Director-In-Charge of New York William F. Sweeney Jr.
    Maxwell 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.
    A lawyer who represented Maxwell in civil litigation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    (Production: Angela Moore, Hussein Waaile, Elizabeth Frantz)
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