It has been almost one year since convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was found dead behind bars. The former American socialite and financier reportedly took his own life while awaiting his trial on sex trafficking charges. Fast-forward to this week, and Epstein’s former girlfriend and longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell has also been arrested.
According to FBI spokesman Marty Feely via ABC, Maxwell was taken into custody this Thursday morning. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had reportedly been monitoring her movements for some time while she had been living at a “gorgeous property in New Hampshire.”
So, what does this mean for the case against Jeffrey Epstein?
Ghislaine Maxwell has been specifically charged with – conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
The indictment, via Bloomberg states Maxwell “assisted, facilitated, and contributed to Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minor girls, 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 recent Netflix documentary series Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich detailed the alleged abuse young women suffered at the hands of both Epstein and Maxwell. According to Entertainment Weekly, victim Sarah Ransom “just began sobbing on the phone” to documentary director Lisa Bryant following the news of Maxwell’s arrest.
“She was so relieved, so happy that the main co-conspirator had been arrested, someone she had direct and very negative interactions with,” Bryant told EW.
“I’d like to see her brought to trial,” she added. “Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. But all of our research and the women in the series that we spoke to, all their stories added up and they all mentioned Ghislaine’s involvement.”
In a statement via Bloomberg, survivor Jennifer Araoz said, “for years, I feared Epstein and his ring. Maxwell was at the centre of that sex trafficking ring. Now that the ring has been taken down, I know that I can’t be hurt anymore.”
Time reports that since the arrest of Ghislaine Maxwell, US prosecutors would “welcome Prince Andrew coming in to talk to us.” Previously, the Duke of York had reportedly refused to cooperate with authorities and has denied any involvement despite being accused of having sex with a 17-year-old girl trafficked by Epstein in 2001. Hear all the details about Prince Andrew below:
Because Jeffrey Epstein died before going to trial, many questions were left unanswered. Will Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial expose the realities of these heinous sex crimes, and who else might’ve been involved?
If you, or anyone you know is a victim of sexual abuse, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 1800 RESPECT for support.
Always be in the loop with our snackable podcast breaking the biggest story of the day. Subscribe to It’s Been A Big Day For… on your favourite podcast app.