The prosecution in the Maxwell trial linked Ghislaine Maxwell directly to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, labeling her “a sophisticated predator” during a scathing closing argument Monday.
“She was a sophisticated predator who knew exactly what she was doing,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Moe told the jury in a Manhattan court, the New York Post reported. “When you’re with someone for 11 years, you know what they like,” Moe stated, before asserting that Epstein and Maxwell were “partners,” describing how many assumed they were dating.
Maxwell is accused of grooming four girls during the 1990s and into the 2000s, with the prosecutor stating that it’s “time to hold Maxwell accountable” and claiming that “she caused deep and lasting harm to young girls,” according to the New York Post.
Calling Maxwell a “sophisticated” predator, Moe tells jurors: “She caused deep and lasting harm to young girls. It is time to hold her accountable.”
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) December 20, 2021
Moe described a “pyramid scheme of abuse” referring to the four accusers, Annie Farmer, Jane, Kate, and Carolyn, three of whom stated in testimony that Maxwell sexually assaulted them as teenagers, according to the New York Post. (RELATED: Maxwell Accuser Testifies About What Epstein Did To Her In A Movie Theater When She Was 16)
Maxwell faces up to 80 years in prison if found guilty. With closing arguments set to conclude Monday night, Judge Alison Nathan stated to the jury that they may convict if they find that Maxwell ignored or tried to “consciously avoid” knowledge of Epstein’s sexual abuse ring, the BBC reported.
Maxwell’s defense attorney claimed that she was — and still is — the government’s scapegoat for crimes committed by Epstein, the BBC reported.
“Ghislaine is being tried here for being with Jeffrey Epstein. Maybe it was the biggest mistake of her life, but it is not a crime,” Laura Menninger said, attempting to distance her client from Epstein, according to the BBC. (RELATED: ‘See Nothing’ And ‘Say Nothing’: Epstein Had A 58-Page Booklet Full Of ‘Degrading’ Rules About How His Staff Should Behave, Former Housekeeper Alleges)
Maxwell refused to take the stand in her own defense. The trial may conclude by her 60th birthday on Christmas day.