Shameless social activist Ghislaine Maxwell has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the teen sex trafficking ring that helped financier Jeffrey Epstein run for a decade.
Ghislaine Maxwell sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse minors
— US Attorney SDNY (@SDNYnews) June 28, 2022
U.S. District Court Judge Alison J. Nathan Tuesday is the most realistic punishment yet in years of abuse Maxwell and Epstein inflicted on the girls.
And many of these girls, now adults, testified during the trial, bravely pulling the curtain on their years of abuse after Maxwell and Epstein dragged them into their orbit. Both have often used the lure of wealth and their relationships with powerful people such as Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump.
"Today's ruling holds Gislaine Maxwell to account for the heinous crimes against children," US Attorney Damian Williams said in a Twitter statement from the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York. “This sentence sends a powerful message that no one is above the law and that it is not too late for justice.”
Women's voices were heard again on Tuesday. Eight women made relentless statements about victim impact to court over Maxwell's objections, which describe the long-term effects of Maxwell's crimes. Nathan ruled that six of the victims were also free to speak in court if they wished.
Prosecutors wanted Maxwell to serve until age 55
The US Department of Probation recommended a 20-year prison sentence for Maxwell, under federal guidelines for crimes "of a particularly egregious and brutal nature." But prosecutors requested between 30 and 55 years in prison, citing the number of victims and Maxwell's refusal to take responsibility.
Maxwell, 60, was sentenced nearly six months after being found guilty of child trafficking and other crimes. Epstein, who was convicted of sexual offenses, died in August 2019 at a correctional facility in Manhattan. The authorities arrested him a month ago. His death was a suicide.
Maxwell requested a more lenient sentence of just five years in prison, saying she would be punished for the crimes of her longtime partner.
His attorney said in a lawsuit earlier this month that Epstein was the mastermind and Epstein the main aggressor.
Her defense team said Maxwell had had a "difficult time" at the Metropolitan Detention Center where she was being held, adding that her life was in danger there. But prosecutors dismissed the charges, citing Maxwell's "total lack of remorse" for his actions.
Prosecutors also asked Nathan to fine Maxwell $750,000, the maximum allowed for his crimes. But they declined to seek financial compensation, saying the victims involved in the case had already received money through the Epstein Victim Compensation Program and/or civil settlements.
The United States says Epstein has replaced Maxwell in abundance
From 1994 to 2004, according to federal prosecutors, Maxwell and Epstein "worked together to identify, stalk, and then tempt the girls to travel to and transfer to Epstein's property." They say the couple traveled extensively between the Epstein mansion on Manhattan's Upper East Side, a villa in Palm Beach, a farm in New Mexico, a private island in the US Virgin Islands, and an apartment in Paris.
In return, they say, Maxwell enjoyed a "lavish lifestyle" in which his personal staff awaited him.
The judgment note states that "Maxwell also acquired a vacation home that Epstein purchased for him in New York, and Epstein transferred a total of approximately $23 million to Maxwell during the term of the plot."
Prosecutors said Maxwell "fostered a culture of silence" at Epstein's estate, ordering housekeepers to "see nothing, hear nothing, and say nothing" unless a direct question is asked.
The US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York did not seek to compel Maxwell to return any property, saying that the crimes in question were committed on Epstein's property, not Maxwell's property.
8 survivors provided written statements about victim impact
Eight women who have said Maxwell manipulated and abused them over the years submitted victim impact statements to the court for consideration during the Maxwell trial review. Some directed their thoughts to the judge, while others spoke directly to Maxwell.
Among them are Maria and Annie Farmer, two sisters who first came forward in the 1990s, trying to alert authorities that Epstein was a serial sexual predator who was harming girls and young women.
They described how their future was stolen from them at a young age. Many victims said their attackers undermined their self-confidence and left deep wounds by violating youth and innocence.
"This toxic combination of sexual exposure and exploitation, feelings of confusion, gullibility, and self-blame have caused a great deal of shame," Annie Farmer wrote in her statement. "That sick feeling that makes you want to leave."
Victims said they kept the painful memories for years, only to make them appear in their adult lives. They described the continuing burden of fighting for justice against those who refuse to show remorse.
Victims said they received threats after years of abuse
Maria Farmer said her future as an artist was devastated by Maxwell and Epstein when she met them in 1996. She also told the judge that she suffered from PTSD after years of abuse and threats.
"She assured me that I might die walking my favorite path in New York," Farmer said. "...His threats never left me, and I think he would have hurt me if he had any shape. Please keep that in mind when determining a prison sentence. C is a very dangerous and deceitful person."
Sarah Ransom, another survivor, said Epstein and Maxwell threatened to kill her family if she tried to escape from what she described as a "sexual hell dungeon." Ransom, who fled to the UK in 2007, told the judge she had evidence that Epstein tried to find her 10 years later.
She also included pictures with her statement which she said showed her in the hospital, seriously injured after surviving two suicide attempts.
"Simply put, Ghislaine Maxwell is an eccentric," Juliet Bryant, another survivor, wrote in her brief statement. As in other statements, Bryant also said she is grateful to see the crimes unfold, with the hope that justice will eventually be served.
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