Ghislaine to the Rescue: Maxwell 'to Give Evidence' in Prince Andrew's Legal Battle Against Giuffre

Ghislaine Maxwell, a close friend and reportedly ex-girlfriend of the late disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein, was said to be helping him to involve minors in his sex trafficking scheme. Epstein’s alleged victim, Virginia Giuffre, claimed that the duo had forced her to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was underage.

Former British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell will provide information that would help Prince Andrew in his legal proceedings with Virginia Guiffre, who filed a lawsuit against him alleging sexual assault on Sunday, The Telegraph reported on Wednesday, citing Maxwell’s friends.

Sources told the newspaper that the former socialite is Prince Andrew’s close friend and “prepared to give evidence on the Duke's behalf”.

Meanwhile, for Maxwell's evidence to be accepted, she has to be first cleared of all charges brought against her last year.

“By the time the case against the Duke gets to court, Ghislaine will either be convicted and serving up to 85 years in jail [or if] cleared of course she would help Prince Andrew. They have been friends for a very long time. It is highly likely Ghislaine will offer to assist him,” the source said.

On Monday, a Manhattan federal court accepted the lawsuit against Prince Andrew filed by Virginia Giuffre, who claims that the British royal was among those who had abused her when she was 17. According to Giuffre, she was procured by a sex trafficking ring organised by Jeffrey Epstein, the late disgraced financier and convicted sex offender.

The claimant said that she was introduced to Prince Andrew in 2001 by Maxwell and under Epstein's pressure, Giuffre arrived in London to meet the Duke of York. After that, Maxwell allegedly ordered her to have sex with the Duke of York.

Attorney Alan Dershowitz talks to the press outside federal court, in New York, Monday, Dec. 2, 2019

© AP Photo / Richard Drew

The latter has dismissed all accusations, claiming he never had any connections with Giuffre and had no knowledge of Epstein’s sex trafficking activities.

Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in August 2019, where he was awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking, sexual abuse and procuring minors for prostitution.

Maxwell now awaits trial after being arrested in 2020 following accusations that she helped Epstein to select underage girls, who later were reportedly trafficked to the financier’s friends. So far, Maxwell has pleaded innocent.