Was Ghislaine Maxwell actually a victim of Jeffrey Epstein?

Ghislaine Maxwell is awaiting her trial in a Brooklyn prison cell for her involvement in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking ring. As both the prosecution and Maxwell’s legal team prepare for the trial, new information continues to come to light about Maxwell’s role in the trafficking ring and the abuse she’s committed. 

A statement from a judge involved in the case though changed the way people are looking at not only the case, but Jeffrey Epstein & Ghislaine Maxwell’s relationship. When U.S. Federal Appeals Court Judge Rosemary Pooler was hearing the case of if details Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex life from the 2016 defamement case could be unsealed, she made a point very few people have stated.

Maxwell: The victim?

Pooler pointed out the Miami Herald’s story that exposed Jeffrey Epstein and helped get him locked away, saying the writer made the choice to protect the victims mentioned. She says the article “led to some important work in the protection of young female victims, but Miss Maxwell may be a victim as well, isn’t that true?”

The lawyer present representing the Herald quickly replied “We do not believe that is true.” While many have suggested the idea of Maxwell being a victim of Epstein turned accomplice, Judge Pooler is the first to publicly claim such a stance. 

Why Maxwell’s sex life questions matters

Before we can look at if Pooler makes a point or not, it’s important to acknowledge why the hearing occurred. During Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s 2016 defamation suit against Ghislaine Maxwell, one of the depositions Maxwell participated in revolved around her raunchy sex life. 

The file in question is a lengthy 418 pages long, with photos and specific details inside many of Maxwell’s sexual escapades, consensual and non-consensual. However, Maxwell’s defense team claims those documents also include information related to at least one of the six charges against Maxwell, and if they were to be publicized, it would affect Maxwell’s chance at a fair trial. 

Maxwell’s legal team used a similar defense for past document drops, claiming the release of any information from the 2016 suit would affect Maxwell’s chance at a fair trial. However, all document drops were postponed or went forward as normal, so if this trial follows past trends, Maxwell’s sex life will be available to the general public sometime before the end of 2020. 

Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein’s relationship

Ghislaine Maxwell & Jeffrey Epstein allegedly met through Maxwell’s father Robert, as reports claim Epstein’s sex trafficking activities were funded by Robert. The two became close, and had a romantic relationship in the early 90s. As time went on, the two ended things romantically, but stayed close for years. 

Staff of Epstein’s said Maxwell has been called Epstein’s “main girlfriend”, his “aggressive assistant”, “Lady of the House”, and Epstein’s “best friend”. Whether they were romantically together at the turn of the century or not, the two stayed close together. 

However, staff also mentioned how much control Maxwell had over Epstein’s life. Journalist Vicky Ward did a profile on Jeffery Epstein in 2003 in Vanity Fair, and claimed Ghislaine Maxwell seemed “to organize much of his life.” 

Abuse of power?

With so much control over his life, it seems natural to assume Maxwell was happy to participate in Jeffrey Epstein’s activities, legal or illegal. However, as Judge Pooler pointed out, Ghislaine Maxwell was offered no protection during the trials against Jeffrey Epstein, unlike the victims. 

Jeffrey Epstein was a powerful man with friends in powerful places, like former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and attorney Alan Dershowitz. If Ghislaine Maxwell knew too much about Jeffrey Epstein’s activities, the popular theory is Epstein could easily turn her over and try to blame her since he knew the right people. 

Plus, after her father’s death, Maxwell’s social and financial status sank. Staying with Epstein made her look richer and more powerful than she was at the time. As a socialite, people believe she may have been forced to stay with him to keep her status. 

But these are just theories people have been discussing. With Epstein deceased and Maxwell locked up until further notice, it’s impossible to know for certain what Maxwell’s intentions were.