Ghislaine Maxwell: The events that led to her trial, as she now faces decades behind bars

29 December 2021, 23:15

Socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has enjoyed a life of money and privilege, rubbing shoulders with A-list stars and royalty.

Here is a timeline of the events that led her to a New York courtroom where she was found guilty of helping paedophile Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls.

Early life

Born not far from Paris in 1961, Maxwell spent her childhood at her family's sprawling mansion, Headington Hill Hall in Oxfordshire.

She attended the exclusive Marlborough College - one of the most expensive public schools in the UK - before studying at Balliol College, Oxford.

After graduation, Maxwell held various posts in her father's companies and was a prominent figure on the London social scene.

1991

November 5: Maxwell's father Robert Maxwell dies after falling from his yacht, Lady Ghislaine, near the Canary Islands.

1992

Maxwell reportedly meets financier Jeffrey Epstein for the first time at a party in New York.

1994

The date accuser Jane says she met Maxwell for the first time while sat at a picnic table at a summer arts camp.

The court heard Jane's sexual contact with Epstein began later that year at the age of 14.

Accuser Kate meets Maxwell for the first time in Paris at the age of 17.

Kate goes to Maxwell's London townhouse and rubbed Epstein's shoulders two weeks later.

1995

December: Accuser Annie Farmer meets Epstein while visiting her sister Maria in New York.

1996

April: Annie Farmer visits Epstein's New Mexico house where Maxwell told her to undress and rubbed her breasts during a massage.

November 11: Epstein's former pilot David Rodgers makes first record of Jane flying on Epstein's private plane.

1999

October: Epstein wires 18.3 million dollars to Maxwell.

2000

The Duke of York and Maxwell were seen on holiday with Epstein at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida.

Epstein and Maxwell attend a party at Windsor Castle hosted by the Queen to mark Andrew's 40th birthday, the Princess Royal's 50th, the Queen Mother's 100th and Princess Margaret's 70th.

December 11: Mr Rodgers makes first record of Virginia Roberts flying on Epstein's private plane.

2001

Virginia Roberts, also known as Virginia Giuffre, was groomed by Epstein between 2000 and 2002.

She claims she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times in 2001, with the first encounter allegedly taking place in Maxwell's London townhouse.

Ms Roberts claims to have had sex with Andrew on two more occasions, at Epstein's New York home and at an "orgy" on his private island in the Caribbean.

She does not go public with her allegations until 2010.

The duke has categorically denied he had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Ms Giuffre.

September 17: Hard drives seized from Epstein's New York home in 2019 show a computer account linked to Maxwell created an advert for a massage therapist on this date.

Accuser Carolyn meets Virginia Roberts and around two weeks later is taken to meet Epstein for the first time at the age of 14.

2004

March: Carolyn pauses her visits to Epstein after becoming a mother.

2005

Police receive their first complaint about Epstein for sexual abuse of minors and an early FBI investigation identifies around 40 victims.

2008

Despite the growing mountain of evidence against Epstein, US prosecutors bring just one charge of soliciting prostitution from an under-age girl, for which he served just 13 months of an 18-month prison sentence.

2009

Carolyn sues Epstein and is awarded 250,000 dollars.

2010

Following Epstein's release from jail, the Duke of York is photographed with him in New York's Central Park.

Further footage emerges years later, reportedly shot on December 6 2010, showing him inside Epstein's Manhattan mansion, from where he is seen looking out from a large door at the property.

2012

Kate testifies this was the last time she had contact with Epstein.

2019

July 6: Epstein is arrested in New Jersey, accused of trafficking under-age girls for sex.

August 10: Epstein is found dead in his prison cell

Maxwell maintains a low profile, and is rumoured to be staying at the home of a former partner in a small coastal town in Massachusetts.

Five days after Epstein's death photos emerge of Maxwell apparently dining in a fast food restaurant in Los Angeles, although the pictures are later exposed as fakes.

2020

July 3: Maxwell is arrested in New Hampshire.

2021

April 23: Maxwell appears in court for the first time and is denied bail.

November 29: The trial at a federal court in the Southern District of New York begins.

December 25: Maxwell spends her 60th birthday behind bars, awaiting her fate.

December 29: Maxwell is found guilty on five of the six charges she faced.

Reporting by PA