By: Anastasia Hernandez
On Friday December 27, the NY Post revealed that Ghislaine Maxwell is under investigation by the FBI for her association with Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein was 66 in August, when he committed suicide in a Manhattan jail, a month after being arrested on federal sex-trafficking charges. Maxwell, a British socialite, has somehow managed to stay out of the lime-light since 2016 despite having been long been accused of procuring and grooming women for Epstein and his well-heeled clientele. Now that Epstein will not be going on trial, several other “people who facilitated” the dead pedophile’s alleged long-term sexual abuse of women and child trafficking of girls as young as 14, will be probed. Maxwell is said to be the FBI’s main focus now, as per Reuters. One sources said the probe is in its early stages, following leads attained from women who asserted they were victimized by Epstein.
Maxwell is the youngest child of publishing and media tycoon Robert Maxwell, who was later branded a fraudster. She had vast connections among the international elite. A source who knew Ghislaine for over 15 years told Town and Country magazine that she was a chatty, chic brunette in the social circle with Epstein. “But the thing is, to hang around those billionaire guys, you either have to be sleeping with them or you’re finding them girls. There is no in-between when you’re in that crowd,” said the source, referring not to Ghislaine alone, but to the dark circle.
While Maxwell is not being criminally charged, she has already been named in several civil suits. Most vocally, by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleged that Ghislaine acted as a “madame” for Epstein and his rich pals. Two other Epstein accusers, Sarah Ransone and Maria Farmer, also speak of Maxwell in their sworn affidavits. Ransone alleged that Maxwell “recruited” young women to fly to Epstein’s private estate in the Virgin Islands. “Once they were there, [Ghislaine] appeared to be in charge of their activities, including what they did, who they did it with, and how they were supposed to stay in line,” Ransone said. These allegations dating as far back as 2011, have been previously denied by Maxwell. “It is well known that certain newspapers live by the adage, ‘Why let the truth get in the way of a good story.’ However, the allegations made against me are abhorrent and entirely untrue and I ask that they stop,” Maxwell had said.
Britain’s Prince Andrew, 59, has also been disgraced by association with Epstein and allegations that he slept with Giuffre. He has denied her allegations and has apologized for his “ill-judged” association with the multi-millionaire. He has been forced to step down from public duties as of November, but for now, the FBI does not have plans to interview Prince Andrew.
In August, Attorney General William Barr vowed to pursue anyone who helped Epstein, the billionaire financier, commit crimes. “Any co-conspirators should not rest easy,” Barr said.
Neither the FBI, nor lawyers for Maxwell responded to requests for comment.
