Ghislaine Maxwell

Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, played a central role in the sex trafficking operation that abused numerous young women. She was convicted in 2021 on charges including sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy, and is currently serving a 20-year sentence in a Florida federal prison. The article references her involvement in introducing Virginia Giuffre to Prince Andrew, instructing her to 'do for him what you do for Jeffrey' after a dinner in London in March 2001.

Maxwell's crimes involved recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein and his associates, often under the pretence of legitimate employment or massages. She was arrested in July 2020 in New Hampshire and extradited to New York, where she faced trial. During the proceedings, prosecutors presented evidence of her facilitating sexual encounters, including flights on Epstein's private jet and stays at his properties. Giuffre's posthumous memoir, Nobody's Girl, published in 2025, details how Maxwell directed her to engage in sexual acts with Prince Andrew when Giuffre was 17 years old. Andrew settled a civil lawsuit with Giuffre in 2022 for a reported £12 million without admitting wrongdoing.

The broader context of Maxwell's conviction stems from a 2019 indictment following Epstein's death, which exposed the scale of their joint enterprise. Victims testified to being manipulated and abused over years, with Maxwell normalising the exploitation. She was sentenced on 28 June 2022 by Judge Alison J. Nathan, who described her actions as 'heinous' and aimed at satisfying Epstein's desires. Appeals have been denied, and Maxwell maintains her innocence, but evidence from emails, flight logs, and witness accounts solidified her culpability in the sex trafficking ring.

• Source: Mail on Sunday article, 19 October 2025; US federal court records from Southern District of New York.
• Key Quote: From Giuffre's memoir: 'Maxwell told me: "When we get home you are to do for him what you do for Jeffrey."'