The former associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein begins today.
Content warning: This piece contains reference to sexual abuse.
The trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, who has been accused of sex trafficking, is set to begin today, Sky News reports.
The former British socialite has denied claims that she trafficked girls for her longtime associate Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse.
The trial takes place in New York and is expected to go on for six weeks.
Maxwell, who is the daughter of the media mogul Robert Maxwell, is facing allegations that span the years 1994 to 2004.
She was arrested in July of last year and has been held in a US jail ever since.
The six charges Maxwell is facing include conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, sex trafficking conspiracy and sex trafficking of a minor.
Maxwell has also been accused of lying under oath.
She has pleaded not guilty to the charges, but if convicted, she will likely spend the rest of her life in prison.
According to court documents, Maxwell’s defence will see her challenging the charges by claiming that the alleged victims have “false or distorted memories”.
Maxwell is the former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in his prison cell in August 2019. The disgraced financier had been convicted for sex trafficking and sexual abuse. His death was officially ruled a suicide.
Maxwell’s involvement with Epstein’s crimes has been the subject of numerous documentaries and podcasts.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, support is available. You can contact the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre on 1800 77 8888.
