ASSOCIATES and former friends of Ghislaine Maxwell should be “quaking in their boots” following her conviction on federal sex trafficking charges because they’re “not above the law”, experts have warned.
Maxwell, 60, was found guilty on Wednesday of five counts of federal sex trafficking after a jury determined that she had recruited and groomed teenage girls to be sexually abused by her friend, the late pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Now facing 65 years behind bars, it’s been suggested that Maxwell could dish the dirt to prosecutors on a number of big names who have previously been linked to Epstein in an effort to lower her sentence.
Prior to her July 2020 arrest, and Epstein’s suicide in August 2019, for decades the pair had rubbed shoulders and fraternized with rich businessmen, A-list celebrities, and high-profile politicians.
Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, and Queen Elizabeth’s son Prince Andrew all shared years-long friendships with Epstein, but have since distanced themselves from him.
Hollywood stars Kevin Spacey, Chris Tucker, and Woody Allen have also been known to have been friendly with the shamed financier, but only Andrew has been accused of impropriety.
The Duke of York, 61, has been accused by Virginia Giuffre of allegedly forcing her to have sex with him at Maxwell’s home in London when she was 17.
He has vehemently denied Giuffre’s claims and has not been charged with any crimes.
“The Duke of York has been appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes,” a spokesperson for Andrew said in 2019. “His Royal Highness deplores the exploitation of any human being and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behaviour is abhorrent.”
Clinton and Trump, meanwhile, have also previously insisted they did nothing inappropriate while in the company of Epstein and were unaware of his crimes.
However, during Ghislaine’s trial, the pair were cited by Epstein’s longtime pilot Larry Visoski as being regulars on Epstein’s private jets, including his so-called Lolita Express.
Clinton flew on Epstein’s jet upwards of 26 times after he left office. Photos also surfaced earlier this year of Clinton being given a massage by Chauntae Davies – who claims she was raped by Epstein – during a trip to Africa in 2002.
But after Epstein hanged himself inside his Manhattan jail cell after his arrest in 2019, Clinton claimed he knew “nothing about the terrible crimes” his had friend had committed.
‘QUAKE IN YOUR BOOTS’
Attorney Lisa Bloom, who successfully represented eight of Epstein’s accusers in civil cases against his estate, told The Celeb Report that all friends and associates of Epstein and Maxwell who stepped foot on his Lolita Express should be thoroughly investigated by prosecutors.
Suggesting Maxwell didn’t act alone, Bloom said anyone else who “participated in this massive pedophilia ring should be quaking in his or her boots.”
“I definitely would like to see everyone investigated – and maybe that’s happening,” Bloom said. “I don’t know what the FBI might be doing behind the scenes. But I do hope that we really get to the bottom of accountability for everybody who may have been involved in this massive, massive operation.
“We’ve heard testimony and I’ve heard from some of the accusers that as many as three girls a day were brought to Jeffrey Epstein. You know, if you multiply out over the years, I mean, that’s an extraordinary number.”
Bloom continued: “There are probably thousands of victims in total, so when you’re talking about the scandal, there has to be others who were involved.
“The question is, ‘who else knew they were abusing girls besides Jeffery and Ghislaine?'”
In the wake of Maxwell’s conviction, Bloom called it an “uncomfortable time” for anyone who has previously shared a close relationship with Epstein and Maxwell – who prosecutors say were “partners in crime” in grooming and sexually abusing young girls between 1994 and 2004.
While says she expects more accusers to come forward in the coming weeks, months, and years, Bloom said that, even if any of Epstein and Maxwell’s associates are found to have committed an offense, it’s unlikely they will face criminal charges because the statute of limitations has likely now passed.
Civil proceedings, such as the sexual abuse lawsuit currently pending against Prince Andrew, are still possible, however.
“I don’t know if there are any victims close to Epstein and Maxwell who say that these other men abused them, but if they are out there now we’ll be the time for them to come forward,” Bloom said.
“Because we’ve really seen a sea change in attitudes in the wake of this case, that no matter how rich and famous you are, you can be still prosecuted for sex trafficking.”
‘NOT ABOVE THE LAW’
Attorney and former counsel to President Donald Trump, Jenna Ellis, similarly told The Celeb Report that “know associates like Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, and others should be brought to justice if they had any involvement in sexual exploitation of minors.”
“Being a public figure or government official or even a Royal should not mean that anyone is above the rule of law,” Ellis, a regular contributor on Newsmax added.
“I hope the world sees that protecting children matters more than high-profile men’s reputation and power.”
She continued: “The reason people like Epstein and Maxwell got away with their crimes for so long is because the justice system can be circumvented by the powerful and the wealthy. The ethical standard of equal justice for all should be applied — for all.
“This case is a stark reminder that sexual exploitation of children and human trafficking happens more than we would all like to admit.”
Wendy J Murphy, a former Massachusetts prosecutor who teaches sexual violence law at New England Law Boston, called on prosecutors to investigate everyone who rode on Epstein’s jet “at a minimum”, insisting the buck doesn’t stop with Maxwell.
“The case that was presented against Maxwell almost implied that the only people she and Epstein were servicing in this ring was themselves, and we know that’s not true,” Murphy told The Celeb Report.
“It feels like, at the end of the day, that there’s another shoe to drop – or many shoes to drop. Because the people who were at least equally responsible, those providing the demand side or ‘customers’, have so far been given a pass or have evaded any accountability to this point.”
‘MORE SHOES TO DROP’
Murphy suggested that a “new amount of energy” will be focused on the individuals who participated in the abuse during, and in the wake of, Virginia Giuffre’s civil case against Prince Andrew, should it go ahead later in 2022 as currently slated.
“I think that case will up the ante in terms of the court wanting to do something, and the public wanting to see something more from the case, particularly among those who think that the Maxwell verdict didn’t go far enough.
“There’s still such much we don’t know, and but between now and whenever the case happens, there’s a chance it will be used to divulge more of the truth and information that the public is clamoring for.”
Such information, Murphy suggests, may include: “Who else was involved? Where did the abuse happen? How vast Esptein’s enterprise was? and how Maxwell communicated with others to make the business happen?”
She continued: “I want to see everybody who stepped on his plane investigated at a minimum, and the public should have access to all the documents in the case so far.
“Those who flew on his plane should be asked ‘What were you doing on the plane? Where were you going? What did you do when you got there?’
“Even if you can’t win convictions or file lawsuits, you can have an investigative file that answers important questions and shares that information with the public. That’s a form of justice. That’s a form of accountability.
“Having an investigation take place that gives the public what it has a right to know about how this enterprise was able to continue year, after year, after year, after year with impunity is essential.”
WILL MAXWELL SING?
Both Bloom and Murphy suggested it’s unlikely that Maxwell will divulge information on any high-profile figures linked to Epstein in exchange for a lighter sentence at this stage.
In her reasoning, Bloom said if Maxwell had any intention of “singing” to prosecutors she would have already done it by now as part of a plea agreement.
“That cooperation agreement usually happens before a trial, and he hasn’t done it now, it’s unlikely that she will.
“Of course, it’s still possible that she might change her tune. Now she’s facing the reality of facing life in prison, she may have a change of heart.
“But the kind of cooperation agreements she would have to do in the Southern District of New York is fully disclose everything she knows – she can’t pick and choose.
“Is she willing to do that? I don’t know, but time will tell.”
Murphy, meanwhile, insisted it’s unlikely that Maxwell has any valuable information to offer that authorities don’t already know.
Even if any high-profile figures are found or accused of any Epstein-related impropriety, former US Prosecutor Bradley Simon told The Celeb Report there’s “almost no likelihood” they’d face any criminal charges anyway.
In addition to the statute of limitations likely having expired on any potential offense, in his years-long experience as a criminal defense attorney, Simon said “prosecutors tend to shy away from the very powerful in the very rich.”
“That’s just the way it is,” he said. “Under no circumstances do I expect anyone else to be criminally charged.”
