WHAT’S THE STORY?

THE trial of Ghislaine Maxwell begins in Manhattan today, on six charges of sex trafficking on behalf of her late former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein – who killed himself in a federal jail in New York on August 10, 2019, while awaiting his own trial for sex trafficking and alleged offences involving underage girls.

Maxwell, 59, is accused of recruiting and grooming girls for Epstein, the very well-connected financier, from 1994 to 2004. At the time some of the alleged victims were just 14. Maxwell is also accused of personal physical involvement in Epstein’s sexual abuse of teenage girls.

The daughter of infamous fraudster and publisher Robert Maxwell, the “millionaire” who stole vast sums from his employees’ pension funds, Ghislaine Maxwell lived the high life of a socialite but is now accused of some of the worst crimes on the statute book.

WHAT ARE THE CHARGES AND WHAT IS THE STRENGTH OF THE CASE AGAINST HER?

MAXWELL is being tried for 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.

READ MORE: Prince Andrew sexual assault lawsuit will be heard in 2022, judge says

Evidence will be given by some of the alleged victims themselves, all listed on the indictment as “Minor Victim” numbered one to four.

The indictment says Maxwell groomed Minor Victim-1 to engage in sexual acts with Epstein through multiple means and “sought to normalise inappropriate and abusive conduct by, among other things, undressing in front of Minor Victim-1 and being present when Minor Victim-1 undressed in front of Epstein”.

The charges state: “Maxwell was present for and involved in some of this abuse.”

READ MORE: Lawyers say Ghislaine Maxwell is being used a substitute for Jeffrey Epstein

The other charges are equally serious, and Maxwell faces up to 80 years in prison if convicted on all counts.

HOW SENSATIONAL WILL IT BE?

THE press and broadcasting media are preparing for what many are calling the trial of the decade, if not the century.

It is important to note that this case is taking place in a federal court with the whole weight of the US justice system against her. It has also been going on under the publicity surface for a very long time – Epstein was first arrested and accused of procuring a person under 18 for prostitution in 2005. He pleaded guilty and served 13 months in jail.

WHO SHOULD BE WORRIED?

THE likes of Prince Andrew and his mother and siblings should be extremely concerned, but the Duke of York is just one of many big names in Maxwell’s contacts book. What will be said in court about him and many others?