Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's former partner, was arrested by the FBI

Since the beginning of the case, Epstein has been identified by the ex-billionaire's victims as his main accomplice. The charge is of "criminal association with the aim of inducing minors to move to perform illegal sexual activities"

(photo: Joe Schildhorn / Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) In the affair of Jeffrey Epstein - the billionaire and financier who committed suicide in prison last August after being arrested on charges of sexual abuse, exploitation of prostitution and child trafficking - a name that often occurs is that of his ex-girlfriend and collaborator Ghislaine Maxwell. The British heiress and socialite, cited by several victims as a fundamental part of Epstein's intricate affair, was arrested on the East Coast by the FBI on charges of "criminal association with the aim of inducing minors to move to perform activities. illegal sex. " Among the first to report it was the US television station WNBC, which specified that Maxwell will appear before the federal court by the end of July 2 to formalize the arrest, and there will be a press conference.

The arrest brings back to the center of the news one of the most discussed events since the advent of the MeToo movement: Epstein has become over time the symbol of a corrupt and untouchable power, and the anomalous circumstances of his disappearance - suicide in a prison of maximum security, where in theory it was looked at - they fed a rich strand of conspiracy theories. Also because Epstein, a Wall Street wonder boy, knew many well-known names of the establishment: Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and the British Prince Andrew are just some of those that Epstein's story has surfaced.

Who is Ghislaine Maxwell

Ghislaine Maxwell comes from a rich English family, and around the end of the ’90s, she began working for Jeffrey Epstein, managing its real estate assets located in New York, Paris, Florida, New Mexico, and Virgin Islands. During this period, the two were bound by a sentimental relationship. After 2008 , when Epstein was accused by the police of Florida and of the exploitation of the prostitution of minors and sentenced to 13 months in prison to be served in Palm Beach county (a decision much disputed, because it is considered overly favourable to the tycoon), the Maxwell has become a prominent figure in the high society of new york , becoming spokesman for environmental causes and founded non-profit organizations.

In 2009, the name of Ghislaine Maxwell is started to be connected to the judicial proceedings of Epstein when one of the victims, and main to naked reality, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, he accused the woman of having her thrust into prostitution by accepting the sexual abuse by Epstein. In 2015, other victims made her name, accusing her of complicity: his role was often defined as that of a broker or mistress.

Despite the various testimonies, Maxwell had never been accused criminally of any felony, at least up until a few hours ago. In 2019, when Epstein was finally arrested and sentenced to serve 45 years in prison – and then commit suicide in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center of New York, as we said – the woman is led not more of a public life for at least a couple of years. And it had proven to be difficult to trace even for the lawyers of the victims who, on several occasions, have tried to intentarle civil cases for damages.