Following a widely publicized criminal trial, Maxwell was found guilty last December of conspiring with Epstein – her longtime partner and romantic partner – to groom, recruit and sexually abuse minors as part of his infancy. of the late financier. Maxwell has been convicted of multiple counts of sexual trafficking and conspiracy.
Maxwell’s sentence includes an additional five years of supervised release and a $ 750,000 fine. Judge Allison Nathan, who presided over the case, ordered her to immediately pay $ 100 for each charge she was convicted of.
Bobbi Sternheim, Maxwell’s defense attorney, requested that she be transferred to a women’s prison in Danbury, Connecticut, along with enrolling in a family trauma treatment program. Her legal team was given 14 days to appeal Maxwell’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams acknowledged the sentence after Maxwell’s hearing, saying it “sends a strong message that no one is above the law and that it is never too late for justice.”
“Today’s sentence makes Ghislaine Maxwell responsible for the heinous crimes against children,” Williams wrote in a statement. “We once again express our gratitude to the victims of Epstein and Maxwell for their courage to appear, testify and share their stories as part of today’s condemnation.”
Ghislaine Maxwell, pictured with Jeffrey Epstein, was convicted Tuesday of her role in recruiting and abusing minors.
Maxwell’s defense has asked the court to sentence her to no more than five years in prison. Prosecutors had asked to serve 30 to 55 years in prison.
“In a troubling deal with Jeffrey Epstein, Maxwell acknowledged, cared for and abused many victims while enjoying a life of extraordinary luxury and privilege. In the process, Maxwell left her victims permanently hurt emotionally and emotionally.” . “This damage can never be reversed, but it can be attributed to the creation of a fair punishment for Maxwell’s crimes.”
Eight victims – Annie Farmer, Teresa Helm, Sarah Ransome, Virginia Giuffre, Elizabeth Stein, Juliette Bryant, Maria Farmer and a woman identified as “Kate” – made victim impact statements before the conviction. this week’s hearing. Nathan decided Monday to six can share an abbreviated oral version of these statements in person on Tuesday, although they are all registered.
Farmer, “Kate”, Ransome and Stein read their statements aloud before Maxwell’s conviction, while Giuffre’s statement was read out by her lawyer because she was not present at the hearing.
Maxwell, now 60, was first indicted in July 2020 and placed in federal custody, where she was held without bail for 16 months before her trial. The arrest came about a year after Epstein apparently died of suicide in a New York jail cell while facing federal charges of sexual trafficking and conspiracy. Epstein’s death sparked further calls for justice from victims and government officials, as his own trial had not yet begun.
Maxwell also spoke Tuesday in response.
“It is difficult for me to go to court after hearing the pain and anguish expressed in the statements made today. The terrible impact on the lives of so many women is difficult to hear and even more difficult to absorb,” she told the court. . “I recognize their pain and offer my deepest condolences to all the victims of this case.”
“It’s the greatest sadness of my life that I have ever met Jeffrey Epstein,” said Maxwell. “I believe Jeffrey Epstein was a manipulative, cunning and controlled man who lived a deeply fragmented life and fooled everyone in his trajectory. His victims considered him a godfather, mentor, benefactor, friend, lover. It is elusive today. “This is how they saw him at the same time. His impact on everyone around him was devastating.”
“Jeffrey Epstein should have been here before you all. He should have stood before you years ago, in 2005, 2009 and again in 2019 – how many times he has been accused, accused, prosecuted – he should have survived the victims years “But today is not about Epstein,” he said. I tell you: I am sorry for the pain you experienced. I hope my sentence, along with my harsh imprisonment, will bring you to an end. “
Maxwell’s statement ended with comments acknowledging the “pain” experienced by her loved ones and “relationships [she has] lost “as a result of the case.
“It is my most sincere wish to all who are in this courtroom and to all who are outside, for this day to end a terrible chapter. “To those of you who spoke here today and to those who did not, may this day help you travel from darkness to light,” said Maxwell.
Ghislaine’s statement to the Court during her conviction: https://t.co/ny2DzRvELc
– RealGhislaine (@RealGhislaine) June 28, 2022
Maxwell pleaded not guilty to all charges against her and was acquitted of a charge of tempting a minor to travel across state lines to engage in unlawful sexual intercourse. She never took a stand to testify during the trial, saying she felt there was “no reason” to formally defend herself in court because “the government [had] it has not been proved beyond a reasonable doubt. “
Immediately after the conviction, her lawyers asked for a retrial on the grounds that the jury’s decision was biased, as a juror had been sexually abused as a child, but did not disclose this fact when selecting jurors. The judge denied Maxwell’s request and rejected her allegation of possible bias.
“In short, the Court concludes that the evidence in the file does not support the finding that juror 50 was biased,” Nathan said in response. “The affidavit of the juror 50 did not reveal any real bias. And the juror 50 was not tacit or implicitly discriminatory.”
