Jeffrey Epstein's ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell arrested
Jul 03, 2020
Manhattan [USA], July 3 : Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and alleged associate of disgraced financer and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested by the FBI on Thursday (local time).
She was arrested in Bradford on the charges related to Epstein case, according to US attorney office in Manhattan, The Hill reported.
Epstein, who took his own life in August last year, was arrested in July 2019 on the charges of abusing and trafficking women, and minors in Manhattan and Florida between 2002 to 2005.
Maxwell has been charged on four counts of conspiring 'to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts' from 1995 to 1997 and two counts of perjury for allegedly making false statements to prosecutors.
Manhattan US Attorney Audrey Strauss said the case against Maxwell "is the prequel to the earlier case we brought against Jeffrey Epstein".
Strauss also said Maxwell "played a critical role" in finding the victims for Epstein.
"Maxwell lied because the truth, as alleged, was almost unspeakable," she added, referring to the perjury charges.
According to the indictment, Maxwell is accused of helping Epstein and grooming the victims by befriending them and taking them to outing prior to sexual abuse.
"Maxwell's presence during the minor victims' interactions with Epstein while they were being abused "helped put the victims at ease because an adult woman was present," the indictment reads.
Strauss also said on Thursday that prosecutors "would welcome Prince Andrew to come in and talk to us." The Duke of York, who has been accused by one woman of sexual abuse when she was 17, is a friend of Epstein and Maxwell.
