Jury Finds Ghislaine Maxwell Guilty of Charges Tied to Jeffrey Epstein's Sex Trafficking Ring
NEW YORK (CBS NEWS) -- A jury in New York has convicted British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell of grooming minors for sexual abuse at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein. Maxwell was found guilty of five of the six federal counts related to Epstetin's sex trafficking ring.
Maxwell, 59, pleaded not guilty to the charges stemming from her interactions with four teenage girls from 1994 to 2004. During that span, Maxwell was romantically involved with and then later worked for Epstein. She faces over 70 years in prison if convicted.
"A unanimous jury has found Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of one of the worst crimes imaginable – facilitating and participating in the sexual abuse of children," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement after the verdict. "The road to justice has been far too long. But, today, justice has been done. I want to commend the bravery of the girls – now grown women – who stepped out of the shadows and into the courtroom. Their courage and willingness to face their abuser made this case, and today's result, possible."
Maxwell opted not to testify in her own defense at trial, and has denied the allegations detailed in the indictment and all claims of wrongdoing.
