Federal authorities arrested Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime confidant of Jeffrey Epstein, on Thursday in New Hampshire in connection with the late, accused sex trafficker, senior law enforcement officials said.
She was taken into custody at about 8:30 a.m. in Bedford and she’s expected to be charged with allegedly conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse minors.
Multiple young women have accused Maxwell, 58, the youngest daughter of the late British publishing magnate Robert Maxwell, of complicity in Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking ring.
They say she either recruited them directly or provided logistical support, like scheduling visits to Epstein’s home.
Maxwell’s alleged role came into sharper focus in August when unsealed court filings revealeddepositions from Epstein’s former masseuses, staffers and associates. They painted a portrait of Maxwell as the accused sexual predator’s chief enabler.
Epstein’s estate has sought to shield Maxwell from civil legal liability by classifying her as a former employee under the terms of the recently established Epstein Victims Compensation Fund, according to the administrator for the program.
In order to receive money from the funds, victims must waive their right to sue any individuals employed by Epstein.
Maxwell, through public court filings and statements, has denied any wrongdoing.
Epstein was arrested July 6 last year at an airport in Teterboro, New Jersey, as he returned from Paris on a private jet. He was charged with one count of sex trafficking conspiracy and one count of sex trafficking, and faced up to 45 years in prison if found guilty.
He pleaded not guilty and was denied bail.
The indictment in his case showed that he sought out minors, some as young as 14, from at least 2002 through 2005 and paid them hundreds of dollars in cash for sex at either his Manhattan townhouse or his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, federal prosecutors revealed last month.
Before Epstein could stand trial, he was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell shortly after 6:30 a.m. on Aug. 10 of last year. His death was ruled a suicide. Several guards responsible for checking on Epstein’s cell during the course of the night were charged with falsifying records and never actually checking in on him.
At the time of his death and throughout the year, federal prosecutors have vowed that the investigation into Epstein’s conduct and anyone who may have been involved in recruiting or facilitating his sex with minors will continue.
Epstein had previously served 13 months of an 18-month sentence for two Florida prostitution charges. Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008, after striking a plea agreement that many considered to be far too lenient and which hid its details from victims.
The deal was agreed to by the former Secretary of Labor Alex Acosta, who was then the U.S. attorney in Miami.
