US Prosecutors have asked a judge to schedule a Friday court appearance in New York for Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein who is accused of grooming underage girls who were sexually abused by the late US financier.
The 58-year-old was arrested last week at a $1m estate in Bradford, New Hampshire, where she had been hiding.
In a letter sent to a judge, prosecutors say Maxwell’s defense lawyer, Christian Everdell, who would like a bail hearing on Friday after written arguments are submitted by both sides. She will also be arraigned at the hearing.
Maxwell has been indicted on multiple charges, including that she conspired to entice girls as young as 14 to engage in illegal sex acts with Epstein from 1994 through 1997 at his residences in New York City, Florida and New Mexico and at her residence in London. Prosecutors say the charges carry a potential penalty of up to 35 years in prison.
Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s alleged victims, said in a civil lawsuit that Maxwell recruited her into Epstein’s circle, where she claims Epstein forced her to have sex with him and friends including British royal Prince Andrew – who has strongly denied the allegations.
The British socialite has previously repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and called some claims against her “absolute rubbish”.
Epstein, who pleaded not guilty, killed himself in a Manhattan jail last August while he awaited trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
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