Ghislaine Maxwell will not help prosecutors and name ‘names’ of others involved in her ex-lover Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking network for a lesser sentence, her brother Ian has claimed.
Maxwell, 60, was found guilty of five out of six sex trafficking charges in New York earlier this week.
The former socialite has spent more than 500 days in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn although she will likely spend the rest of her life in federal prison in the United States after she is sentenced.
Ghislaine Maxwell, pictured right, will not assist federal prosecutors in the United States in order to secure a lesser jail term. She is pictured here with Virginia Guiffre, who was one of the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and Maxwell’s sex-trafficking network. Ms Guiffre is suing Prince Andrew, pictured left, in civil court in the United States, claiming she was forced to have sex with the Duke of York. Prince Andrew strongly denies the allegation
Prince Andrew, pictured driving a Range Rover through Windsor on New Year’s Eve is trying to have the case against him in New York thrown out of court
Maxwell’s brother, Ian, pictured right, with fellow siblings Isabel, left and Kevin, centre, said his sister will appeal the court’s verdict and will not assist prosecutors
The jury found Maxwell, pictured right, with Jeffrey Epstein, guilty on five out of six charges of sex trafficking
Her brother, Ian Maxwell said his sister maintains her innocence and is planning to appeal her conviction. He said she has no intention of assisting prosecutors in consideration of a lesser jail term.
Mr Maxwell told The Sunday Times: ‘Prosecution confirmed no plea bargain offers were made or received. I expect that position to be maintained.’
Prince Andrew is facing a civil case by one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew at Maxwell’s London home after spending an evening in Tramp nightclub, an allegation the prince strenuously denies.
However, the Duke of York suffered a significant legal setback in the civil case after his lawyers failed to have the complaint dismissed on a technicality. His legal team hoped to have the case ended claiming neither Ms Giuffre or the prince are American residents and therefore the US courts have no jurisdiction.
Maxwell is facing up to 65 years in federal prison following her conviction
Prince Andrew is among a string of high profile men who have been linked to Epstein and Maxwell.
Prosecutors in the Maxwell case had hoped that she would provide information that could lead to further charges.
She faces two charges of perjury concerning information she supplied in earlier depositions in civil cases which prosecutors claim was false.
The jury convicted Maxwell of trafficking young girls who were then sexually exploited by Jeffrey Epstein.
The financier took his own life in 2019 while on remand facing further child sex abuse charges.
Mr Maxwell said his sister was ‘understandably subdued’ following the jury’s decision but claimed she remained ‘strong in spirit’.
He also denied his sister was considered a suicide risk.
He added: ‘She will be appealing her conviction. She is a fighter and a survivor.’
Any appeal will be focused on procedural errors or mistakes in law made by the trial judge.
Maxwell’s conviction has increased pressure on Prince Andrew because his long-term friend has been found to be a sex trafficker of underage girls.
The jury convicted Maxwell of trafficking young girls who were then sexually exploited by Jeffrey Epstein. The financier took his own life in 2019 while on remand facing further child sex abuse charges
This has prompted moves among senior figures in the Royal household to discuss Prince Andrew’s future in ‘The Firm’.
Royal courtiers are discussing plans to strip Prince Andrew of his Duke of York title if he loses the lawsuit brought by sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre, according to the Sunday Times.
Other ideas allegedly being considered by the Royal household include sending the Duke into some form of ‘internal exile’ and asking him to relinquish any links he still has to charities.
Ms Giuffre alleges that Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her three times when she was 17, which he denies, and is suing for unspecified damages. The Duke stepped down from public duties in November 2019 ‘for the foreseeable future’ over his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in the wake of the disastrous Newsnight interview he had hoped would clear his name.
A source said: ‘If [Prince Andrew] loses the case, the question is what do you do with him? You can’t make him resign like you would a normal person but he would be asked to put his dukedom into abeyance.’
Royal insiders said it would be difficult to persuade the Queen to remove the title of Duke of York as ‘it was held by her father, George VI, before he became king and she bestowed it on her favourite son. But he has disgraced that title’, the Sunday Times reported.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said with regard to claims the Duke might lose his title: ‘This is speculation and the comments are without foundation. We would not comment on an ongoing legal matter.’
And in a further blow, the Duke is said to be under pressure to give up his nine military roles, according to defence sources. Military chiefs hope he will resign so the Queen doesn’t have to strip him of his honorary titles, the Sunday People reported.
In light of the Duke’s close friendship with Epstein and Maxwell, senior Army commanders believe it is not feasible for Andrew to carry on his role as colonel-in-chief of the nine military regiments, units and corps.
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