Ghislaine Maxwell seeks jail release in Epstein abuse case

Epstein investigation

A close associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who is in jail on charges she helped him sexually abuse young women and girls, should be released to home arrest while she awaits trial, her lawyers say.

British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested last week at her New Hampshire estate before being moved to New York City to face the federal charges.

A photo of Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein (John Minchillo/AP)

Maxwell, 58, has been detained at a lock-up in Brooklyn without bail. Prosecutors have labelled her an “extreme risk of flight” and said they want her jailed until trial.

In court papaers, her lawyers cited the coronavirus risk in jail as reason to release her on five million US dollars (£4 million) bond.

A judge has set a hearing for Tuesday to hear bail arguments and to arraign Maxwell on multiple charges, including that she conspired to entice girls as young as 14 to engage in illegal sex acts with Epstein from 1994 through 1997 at his homes in New York City, Florida, and New Mexico – and at Maxwell’s residence in London.

She has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and called some claims against her “absolute rubbish”.

Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail last August while he awaited trial on federal sex trafficking charges.