Ghislaine Maxwell arrested by FBI
Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite and the long-time girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, has been hit with charges for allegedly helping to recruit, from and viciously abuse children.
Maxwell, who benefitted for years from Epstein’s prominent wealth, was the billionaire’s travel companion on trips around the world.
"Maxwell played a critical role in helping Epstein to identify, befriend, and groom victims for abuse. In some cases, Maxwell participated in the abuse herself," Audrey Strauss, the acting Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said.
She has also accused of lying to authorities during previous investigations into Epstein.
"Maxwell lied because the truth, as alleged, was almost unspeakable," Ms Strauss said.
"Maxwell enticed minor girls, got them to trust her, and 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."
William F Sweeney Jr, an assistant director at the FBI, said investigators had been "discreetly keeping tabs on Maxwell's whereabouts" since Epstein's arrest in 2019.
"More recently we learned she'd slithered away to a gorgeous property in New Hampshire, continuing to live a life of privilege while her victims live with the trauma inflicted upon them years ago.
"We moved when we were ready and Ms Maxwell was arrested without incident."
He went on to say: "Like Epstein, Ms Maxwell chose to blatantly disregard the law and her responsibility as an adult, using whatever means she had at her disposal to lure vulnerable youth into behaviour they should never have been exposed and which creates lasting harm."
Reports say Ms Maxwell has been charged with six counts in connection with the ongoing investigation into Epstein’s accomplices.
The charges are enticement and conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, and transportation and conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Other charges include two counts of perjury, according to a federal indictment unsealed today.
"In particular, from at least in or about 1994, up to an including at least in or about 1997, Maxwell assisted, facilitated, and contributed to Jeffrey Epstein's abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims known to Maxwell and Epstein to be under the age of 18," the indictment says.
The victims included girls as young as 14-years-old.