Question
What charges did Ghislaine Maxwell face at trial?
Answer
Ghislaine Maxwell was charged in a federal superseding indictment with six counts related to her role in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking network. She was convicted on five of the six counts in December 2021.
The charges and outcomes:
| Count | Charge | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sexual acts | Guilty |
| 2 | Enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sexual acts | Guilty |
| 3 | Conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity | Guilty |
| 4 | Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity | Guilty |
| 5 | Sex trafficking conspiracy | Guilty |
| 6 | Perjury (lying in a 2016 deposition) | Not Guilty |
The trial: Trial began in November 2021 before Judge Alison J. Nathan in the Southern District of New York. Four survivors testified under pseudonyms or partial names. The jury deliberated for six days before returning the guilty verdict on December 29, 2021.
The sentence: Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in June 2022. She is incarcerated at FCI Tallahassee.
Post-trial developments: Maxwell’s conviction was appealed. Her attorneys raised issues about a juror who had discussed his own sexual abuse history with fellow jurors during deliberations. The appeal was denied.
Sources
- USA v. Maxwell, SDNY, indictment and trial record (2021)
- Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator
- SDNY sentencing memorandum (June 2022)