The Justice Department unsealed six criminal charges that Jeffrey Epstein confidante Ghislaine Maxwell is facing after the FBI arrested her on Thursday morning.
The unsealed indictment shows that Maxwell faces two counts of Conspiracy to Entice Minors to Travel to Engage in Illegal Sex Acts, two counts of Conspiracy to Transport Minors with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, and two counts of Perjury.
“In particular, from at least in or about 1994, up to and including at least in or about 1997, MAXWELL assisted, facilitated, and contributed to Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims known to MAXWELL and Epstein to be under the age of 18,” prosecutors alleged in the indictment. “As a part and in furtherance of their scheme to abuse minor victims, GHISLAINE MAXWELL, the defendant, and Jeffrey Epstein enticed and caused minor victims to travel to Epstein’s residences in different states, which MAXWELL knew and intended would result in their grooming for and subjection to sexual abuse.”
Prosecutors allege that Maxwell recruited and groomed Epstein’s underage victims by asking the victims personal questions about their lives and taking them out to the movies or shopping in order to build relationships with them. Maxwell then allegedly used the trust and rapport that she had developed with each minor to transition the relationship into meeting the Epstein’s sexual desires.
Maxwell and Epstein “and others known and unknown, willfully and knowingly did combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together and with each other to commit an offense against the United States, to wit, transportation of minors,” the indictment said. Maxwell and Epstein “and others known and unknown, would and did, knowingly transport an individual who had not attained the age of 18 in interstate and foreign commerce, with intent that the individual engage in sexual activity for which a person can be charged with a criminal offense.”
Regarding the perjury charges, the indictment says that Maxwell “knowingly made false material declarations” to the U.S. government in sworn testimony in an alleged attempt to conceal her actions.
The perjury charges stem from a 2016 deposition that she gave in a civil case in Manhattan federal court that was tied to accusations made against Epstein.
In reference to the first perjury charge, the indictment highlighted the following answers that Maxwell gave to questions that are alleged to be lies:
Question: Did Jeffrey Epstein have a scheme to recruit underage girls for sexual massages? If you know.
Maxwell: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Question: List all the people under the age of 18 that you interacted with at any of Jeffrey’s properties?
Maxwell: I’m not aware of anybody that I interacted with, other than obviously [the plaintiff] who was 17 at this point.
In reference to the second perjury charge, the indictment highlighted the following answers that Maxwell gave to questions that are alleged to be lies:
Question: Were you aware of the presence of sex toys or devices used in sexual activities in Mr. Epstein’s Palm Beach house?
Maxwell: No, not that I recall. …
Question: Do you know whether Mr. Epstein possessed sex toys or devices used in sexual activities?
Maxwell: No.
Question: Other than yourself and the blond and brunette that you have identified as having been involved in three-way sexual activities, with whom did Mr. Epstein have sexual activities?
Maxwell: I wasn’t aware that he was having sexual activities with anyone when I was with him other than myself.
Question: I want to be sure that I’m clear. Is it your testimony that in the 1990s and 2000s, you were not aware that Mr. Epstein was having sexual activities with anyone other than yourself and the blond and brunette on those few occasions when they were involved with you?
Maxwell: That is my testimony, that is correct.
…
Question: Is it your testimony that you’ve never given anybody a massage?
Maxwell: I have not given anyone a massage.
Question: You never gave Mr. Epstein a massage, is that your testimony?
Maxwell: That is my testimony.
Question: You never gave [Minor Victim-2] a massage is your testimony?
Maxwell: I never gave [Minor Victim-2] a massage.
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