British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was found guilty Wednesday of luring teenagers to be sexually abused by American millionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
The verdict capped a month-long trial characterized by sordid testimonies of the sexual exploitation of girls as young as 14, submitted by four women who described sexual abuse as teenagers in the 1990s and early 2000s in Epstein’s palatial residences in Florida, New York and New Mexico.
Jurors deliberated for a full five days before finding Maxwell guilty of five of six counts. With the maximum prison terms for each count ranging from five to 40 years, Maxwell faces the prospect of spending years behind bars, an outcome long sought after by women who spent years fighting in civil court to hold Maxwell accountable for his role in recruiting and grooming Epstein’s teenage victims, and for occasionally engaging in sexual abuse.
As the verdict was read, the socialite remained undaunted, her face covered by a black mask. Later, he could be seen pouring himself water while one of his lawyers patted him on the back. She stood with her hands folded as the jury exited, and watched her siblings – who faithfully attended each day of the trial – as she was ushered out of the courtroom. He did not hug his lawyers on the way out, a notable departure from previous days when Maxwell and his team were often physically affectionate with each other.
No date was set for sentencing.
The defense had insisted that Maxwell was the victim of a vindictive prosecution that aimed to bring justice to women who were deprived of the main villain when Epstein committed suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial.
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