Jeffrey Epstein’s ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell charged with luring underage girls into sex abuse
- British socialite and long-time associate of the late financier was arrested by FBI and could face up to 35 years in prison
- Epstein, who died in August, was accused of sex crimes against underage girls, and some of his alleged victims said Maxwell lured them into his circle
Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and long-time associate of the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested in New Hampshire on Thursday on US charges of luring underage girls so that Epstein could sexually abuse them.
The arrest of the British socialite adds another twist in the mystery of Epstein, whose high-flying lifestyle included private Caribbean islands and powerful connections that his victims say allowed him to abuse minors with impunity.
Maxwell, 58, was arrested in Bradford, New Hampshire, where she had been laying low since December, the FBI said.
She appeared briefly by video from jail at a hearing in New Hampshire federal court, where a judge ordered her to face the criminal charges in New York. Maxwell did not enter a plea, and bail was not determined.
She spoke briefly, answering “yes” when asked if she knew her rights. Her lawyer, Larry Vogelman, declined further comment on her behalf.