Jeffrey Epstein’s death by suicide in his Manhattan jail cell means the spotlight is now set to turn on his British ‘fixer’ and ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who allegedly procured girls to have sex with the disgraced financier.
Epstein’s death means his accusers can never bring him to justice in the courts, but they now want prosecutors to go after his associates.
‘I hope the authorities will pursue and prosecute his accomplices and enablers, and ensure redress for his victims.’ said Jennifer Araoz, who was among the victims who spoke out after Epstein’s death was announced today.
Authorities are yet to discuss their next move as they deal with outrage that Epstein was apparently able to end his own life despite being on suicide watch.
Epstein is pictured with his associate and one-time girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell in 2005. Investigators may now turn their focus to her after Epstein’s death in his prison cell
Ghislaine Maxwell is the daughter of controversial British newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell, who died after falling overboard from his yacht in 1991.
She moved to America that year and became a close confidant, and for a time the romantic partner, of Jeffrey Epstein.
Virginia Giuffre, an alleged victim of Epstein, sued Maxwell in 2015 claiming that she helped him procure girls for sex.
New documents which were unsealed this week claim that one alleged victim was approached by ‘perfect stranger’ Maxwell, who ‘lured’ her to Epstein’s home with the promise of a ‘legitimate job’.
Guiffre herself claims she was reading a book on massage therapy one day when she was approached by Maxwell, who noticed the book and told her she knew someone seeking a traveling masseuse.
When Giuffre said she had no experience or credentials, she recalled Maxwell said: ‘We can train you. We can get you educated.’
Guiffre alleges that Maxwell ‘lent out’ the young girls to high-profile friends of Epstein including politicians.
Jeffrey Epstein’s death by suicide in his Manhattan jail cell means the spotlight is now set to turn on his British ‘fixer’ and ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell (pictured)
Disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein (pictured in a police mugshot in 2017) hanged himself in his prison cell in New York City on Saturday morning
Prosecutors have not accused Maxwell of any wrongdoing and not a word has come from the 57-year-old or her lawyers since her close confidant’s highly-publicized arrest.
In her own 2016 deposition, Maxwell called the claims another one of Giuffre’s ‘many fictitious lies and stories to make this a salacious event to get interest and press. It’s absolute rubbish.’ She also claimed that Giuffre was 17 when she met her.
However she may have to make a statement regarding the allegations made against her if authorities turn the spotlight on her.
Actress Mia Farrow said that Maxwell ‘knows everything Epstein’.
Giuffre’s attorney David Boies told CNN in a statement that Epstein did not work alone.
‘Justice demands that those who acted with him also be held to account,’ Boies said.
His colleague Sigrid McCawley said ‘the reckoning of accountability begun by the voices of brave and truthful victims should not end’ with Epstein’s death.
Boies had said on Friday those who hadn’t been named in the Epstein case were far from in the clear as 2,000 records were unsealed.
Epstein’s suicide comes just 24 hours after court documents from Virginia Roberts Giuffre (pictured holding a picture of herself aged 16) were unsealed
Jeffrey Epstein (left) and Donald Trump together at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in 1997. Giuffre says she never had sex with Trump
Epstein was being held without bail at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Correctional Center (pictured) on charges of conspiracy and sex trafficking
He predicted: ‘It’s all going to come out.’
Epstein was awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy and sex trafficking and was being held at the so-called high-security complex without bail.
The 66-year-old Epstein had tried once before to take his own life on July 24, but was unsuccessful and returned to his cell under no continued suicide watch, sparking outrage that he could have been allowed to hurt himself again before facing justice.
The now deceased financier, who once counted Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump among his friends, had been under arrest since July 6.
He had been accused of arranging to have sex with dozens of underage girls at his residences in New York City and Florida between 2002 and 2005.
Epstein, who was jailed in a separate sex case in Florida in 2008, had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
He escaped with a light sentence in the Florida case after cutting a deal with prosecutors.
Under the ‘non-prosecution’ agreement, the billionaire was allowed to plead guilty to state charges – avoiding a federal prosecution and serving only 13 months in jail.
Before his death, two victims had asked for the deal – kept secret at the time – to be thrown out, saying prosecutors broke the law by failing to consult them.