Jeffrey Epstein's 'Pimp' Ghislaine Maxwell is Being Treated Like Hannibal Lecter, Her Lawyer Claims

The 59-year-old was arrested by the FBI last July and has since been awaiting trial in the Metropolitan Detention Centre in New York City. She is accused of grooming girls as young as 14 for disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who purportedly raped them. She claims she is innocent.

Ghislaine Maxwell's treatment in a New York jail "rivals scenes of Hanibal Lecter's incarceration in the movie Silence of Lambs, despite the absence of the cage and plastic face guard", her lawyer wrote in a letter to a federal judge. According to Bobbi C Sternheim, prison guards have been aggressive with Maxwell, 59, and touched her in a "sexually inappropriate manner on multiple occasions".

"Many of the officers are openly hostile toward her and have mentioned having read the press and seen various television shows which amplify their hostility", Bobbi C Sternheim wrote in the seven-page letter.

The attorney said an investigation is underway within the US Marshals Service after a prison guard "verbally threatened" Maxwell, telling her: "You think you are special. You are not special. Remember you are in custody and the judge doesn't care about you".

Mrs Sternheim emphasised that her client's "reprehensible" prison conditions are inappropriate for a woman on the cusp of turning 60 and said that if Maxwell's detention continues, she won't have the "stamina to assist in her defence and endure the physical demands of five-day per week, multi-week court proceedings".

Other Complaints

Since her arrest in July 2020, Maxwell's legal team and family has been constantly drawing attention to her prison conditions, which they've described as "cruel" and "onerous". Her lawyers claimed her hair is falling out and that she's lost six kilograms due to the "inedible prison food". They also said that at night the 59-year-old is reportedly woken up every 15 minutes to be searched by a prison guard.

In April, lawyers released a photo Maxwell that purportedly showed her with a black eye. Last week, her brother Ian Maxwell claimed that guards had "abused" his sister.

"I don't see Ghislaine administering a black eye to herself… I think she has suffered some occasional physical abuse at the hands of her guards", he said.

Maxwell's lawyer said guards in her Brooklyn jail were keeping her awake at night to ensure she wouldn't commit suicide like financier and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. But in a brief order, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said that to the extent Maxwell is being deprived of sleep, she should seek relief from U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan, who oversees her criminal case.

© REUTERS / US COURTHOUSE COURT FILING

Maxwell's legal team also accused the prosecution of double standards. They said that high-profile male sex offenders such as Bill Cosby or Harvey Weinstein were granted bail, although they potentially posed a danger to women, while Maxwell was denied bail despite her posing no danger to the public. Maxwell's detention, the lawyers argue, prevents their client from preparing for her trial.

Bobbi C Sternheim once again asked the federal judge to grant bail to Maxwell. Judges previously rejected all pleas, deeming the 59-year-old a flight risk. They remained adamant even after her legal team revealed that Maxwell would give up her French and British paspports.

Who is Ghislaine Maxwell and Why Does Her Trial Matter?

The ninth and youngest child of British publishing tycoon Robert Maxwell, she has been part of the highest circles in Britain and the United States. She dated US financier and millionaire Jeffrey Epstein, a man who has been accused of sexual abuse and rape by dozens of women.

The accusations, which spanned years, didn't lead to trials until 2019, when Epstein was arrested on charges of running a sex trafficking network of minors. His accusers claimed that Epstein lured them into the hands of a millionaire promising them a well-paid job at his house. Some women alleged that Maxwell not only groomed them but took part in the abuse.

Epstein's alleged victims didn't get justice – the financier hanged himself in custody a month after he was arrested. His death prompted numerous conspiracy theories. According to one, he was killed by his powerful friends, who feared they may be implicated in his crimes. Epstein's past friend Prince Andrew has been accused of wrongdoing by one of the financier's purported sex slaves.

Thus, Ghislaine Maxwell is the only person who can shed light on Epstein's crimes. Her trial is scheduled to start on 29 November. She faces eight charges, including sex trafficking of minors and enticing minors as young as 14 to engage in illegal sex acts. She claims she is innocent and insists that the prosecution has made her a scapegoat for Epstein's crimes.