A judge has sentenced Ghislaine Maxwell to 20 years in prison for Jeffrey Epstein's sex abuse case

A judge has sentenced Ghislaine Maxwell to 20 years in prison for Jeffrey Epstein’s sex abuse case

Ghislaine Maxwell received a 20-year jail term on Tuesday for assisting Jeffrey Epstein in sexually abusing minors for at least 10 years during the 1990s and 2000s. 

The British ex-socialite, whose late father was a prominent member of Parliament and media magnate in the U.K., appeared in district court in Manhattan for a hearing that lasted several hours from late morning to mid-afternoon.

Maxwell was convicted last December of collaborating with Epstein, a longtime friend, and former love partner, to groom, recruit, and sexually assault youngsters as part of the late financier’s now-famous trafficking network during a highly publicized criminal trial. Maxwell was found guilty on many counts of conspiracy and sex trafficking.

Maxwell’s sentence includes a $750,000 fine and five more years of supervised release. 

In addition, Judge Alison Nathan, who oversaw the case, ordered her to pay $100 for every count on which she was found guilty.

Maxwell’s defense attorney, Bobbi Sternheim, asked for her relocation to a women’s prison in Danbury, Connecticut and her enrollment in a family-initiated trauma therapy program. Her legal team has 14 days to file an appeal against Maxwell’s verdict.

After Maxwell’s hearing, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams accepted the sentencing, saying it “sends a powerful message that no one is above the law and it is never too late for justice.”

Williams said that “today’s sentencing holds Ghislaine Maxwell responsible for committing horrible crimes against children.” 

We want to thank the victims of Epstein and Maxwell once again for having the fortitude to come forward, speak in court, and share their experiences during today’s sentence.

Maxwell’s legal team urged the judge to impose a five-year maximum sentence on her. Instead, according to the prosecution, she was to spend between 30 and 55 years in jail.

“Maxwell selected, groomed, and abused several people as part of a terrible pact with Jeffrey Epstein as she lived a life of great wealth and power. Maxwell left her victims severely wounded and suffering from psychological and emotional harm in her aftermath.” They composed. 

That harm cannot be repaired. But it may be considered while determining Maxwell’s offenses’ appropriate punishment.

In advance of this week’s hearing, eight victims—Annie Farmer, Teresa Helm, Sarah Ransome, Virginia Giuffre, Elizabeth Stein, Juliette Bryant, Maria Farmer, and a person going by the name “Kate”—submitted victim impact statements for the sentence. 

Although all the comments are on the record, Nathan decided on Monday that up to six people may give a condensed oral version of them in person on Tuesday.

Before Maxwell’s sentence, Farmer, “Kate,” Ransome, and Stein delivered their statements aloud. In contrast, her attorney read Giuffre’s statement on her behalf as she was not present at the court.

The original charges against Maxwell, now 60, were brought in July of 2020, and she was placed in federal detention. For the 16 months before her trial, she was detained without bail. 

The arrest happened almost a year after Epstein, charged with federal sex trafficking and conspiracy counts, died in an apparent suicide in his New York City prison cell. 

Since Epstein’s trial had not yet started, his passing spurred more demands for justice from both victims and government authorities.

In response, Maxwell also spoke on Tuesday. “After hearing the sorrow and suffering that were revealed in today’s remarks, it is difficult for me to address the court.” 

He also added, “It is tough to hear about and much harder to comprehend the dreadful effect on the lives of so many women, “She informed the jury. “I am aware of their pain and have tremendous sympathy for all the victims in this case.”