Ghislaine Maxwell set to be arraigned in NY via video conference
What can we expect at the detention hearing for Jeffrey Epstein's longtime associate? Former federal prosecutor Francey Hakes weighs in.
Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite accused of sexually abusing and exploiting young girls alongside Jeffrey Epstein, has appeared Tuesday afternoon via video before a federal judge for a bail hearing, where she pleaded not guilty.
Maxwell, charged with conspiracy and perjury in a multi-state sex trafficking ring involving three unnamed minors between 1994 and 1997, claims she did nothing wrong and is asking to be released from lockup while she awaits trial. Her attorneys have tried to distance Maxwell's case from Epstein's, and argued the risks associated with COVID-19 in detention centers along with a $5 million bond should be enough to secure her release.
GHISLAINE MAXWELL WRAPPED HER PHONE IN TIN FOIL TO EVADE LAW ENFORCEMENT, FEDS SAY
"Ghislaine Maxwell is not Jeffrey Epstein," her attorneys wrote in court documents, adding she has not had contact with Epstein for more than a decade and has never been charged with a crime.
On Monday, prosecutors strongly urged Judge Alison Nathan to reject Maxwell's bail request and push for home confinement. They argued she is an extreme flight risk and, if given the opportunity, will use her collection of international passports, access to transportation and millions of dollars to run.
"There will be no trial for the victims if the defendant is afforded the opportunity to flee the jurisdiction, and there is every reason to think that is exactly what she will do if she is released," prosecutors wrote.
The details provided in Monday's filing have only added to the true horror and absurdity that have marked Maxwell's case.
Prosecutors claimed Maxwell went to great lengths to avoid capture, including wrapping her cell phone in tinfoil – something prosecutors called "a seemingly misguided effort to evade detection" – as well as changing her email address and registering a new phone under the name "G Max." The filing also claimed that former British military members hired by Maxwell's brother guarded her at her New Hampshire estate, which was purchased in cash via a limited liability corporation.
The court documents described what happened the day FBI agents broke through the gate of her million-dollar compound in Bradford, N.H. She reportedly has three passports and 15 bank accounts, totaling more than $20 million in her name.
Prosecutors claim Maxwell, who was arrested on July 2, fled to another room in the house when agents identified themselves and told her to open the door.
GHISLAINE MAXWELL'S LEGAL TEAM INCLUDES 'EL CHAPO' PROSECUTOR
Maxwell's arrest and details surrounding her case have provided a unique glimpse into a woman once considered Epstein's closest confidant, who has hobnobbed with princes and presidents around the world.
It's been a hard fall for the privileged and pampered 58-year-old since her arrest. Once clad in Burberry and Chanel, she has been forced to wear paper clothing in custody — a preventative measure in case she plans to take her own life. She's also had her bedding removed and is being constantly monitored at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Epstein, a convicted pedophile who was awaiting trial on new sex trafficking chages, killed himself in his jail cell Aug. 10, 2019.
Several of Epstein's victims have described Maxwell, the daughter of late media magnate Robert Maxwell, as the disgraced financier's chief enabler — recruiting, grooming and abusing girls as young as 14.
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“The charges against Ghislaine Maxwell arise from her essential role in sexual exploitation that caused deep and lasting harm to vulnerable victims," prosecutors said. "For years before her arrest in this case, the defendant likely believed she had gotten away with her crimes."
Maxwell called the accusations against her "absolute rubbish," but if convicted she could face 35 years behind bars.
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