Question
What crimes was Ghislaine Maxwell acquitted of at the trial?
Answer
At her federal criminal trial in the Southern District of New York, which concluded with a verdict on December 29, 2021, Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted of five of six counts and acquitted of one.
Counts on which Maxwell was convicted:
- Conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sexual acts
- Enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sexual acts
- Conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity
- Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity
- Sex trafficking conspiracy
Count on which Maxwell was acquitted: 6. Sex trafficking of a minor — specifically the count related to accuser “Jane” and allegations around a particular period of time
The acquittal on count six was somewhat narrow: the jury found Maxwell not guilty on the specific sex trafficking charge related to Jane, while still convicting her on related conspiratorial charges. Legal analysts noted that the jury appeared to distinguish between the conspiratorial framework counts and the specific underlying conduct count for that particular victim.
Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in June 2022. She appealed her conviction, but the Second Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed it in April 2024.
Sources
- Southern District of New York verdict form, December 29, 2021
- DOJ sentencing memoranda, Maxwell case 2022
- Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruling affirming conviction, 2024