US prosecutors have asked a judge to schedule a court appearance in New York on Friday for Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein ‘s British socialite and former girlfriend, who is accused of grooming underage girls who were sexually assaulted by the late US financier.
Last week the 58-year-old was arrested on a $1 m estate in Bradford, New Hampshire, where she had been hiding.
In a letter sent to a judge, prosecutors say Maxwell’s defense lawyer, Christian Everdell, who wants a bail hearing on Friday after both sides make written arguments. She will also be arraigned at the hearing.
Maxwell was charged with several offences, including conspiring to lure girls as young as 14 to participate in illicit sexual activity with Epstein from 1994 to 1997 in his homes in New York City, Florida and New Mexico and in his London residence. Prosecutors state the charges bring a potential sentence of up to 35 years in prison.
Virginia Giuffre, one of the alleged victims of Epstein, said in a civil complaint that Maxwell had brought her into the circle of Epstein, where she reported that Epstein had coerced her to have sex with him and others, including the British royal prince Andrew, who strongly denied the allegations.
The British socialite has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and has called several charges against her “absolute rubbish.”
Epstein, who pleaded not guilty, killed himself last August in a Manhattan prison while he was awaiting trial on charges of federal sex trafficking.
