Ghislaine Maxwell abuse accuser: ‘I was frozen in fear...I felt gross and ashamed’
Ghislaine Maxwell’s first accuser who claims she was sexually abused as a teenage girl did not speak to police for 20 years because she was too embarrassed about “shameful and despicable things”, the socialite’s trial has heard.
The woman, known by the pseudonym “Jane” in court, says she was taken to orgies at the homes of billionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein when she was just 14-years-old, and accuses Maxwell of taking part in the abuse.
Giving evidence on the second day of Maxwell’s trial on Tuesday, Jane said she was flown on Epstein’s private plane — dubbed the “Lolita Express” — and heard him boast of knowing former US presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton.
She claims she was left “frozen in fear” after her first sexual encounter with Epstein, and insisted Maxwell joined in the abuse on later occasions.
Under cross examination from Maxwell’s lawyer, Laura Menninger, Jane said she had “escaped” from Epstein’s control in 1999 and came forward two decades later.
“The first time you spoke to law enforcement was after Epstein was dead,” said Ms Menninger, to which Jane answered: “Yes.”
Jane said she had discussed the abuse with family and a boyfriend but is unsure if she mentioned the involvement of Maxwell.
“I was reluctant to go into details about embarrassing, shameful and despicable things,” she said.
“I didn’t want to share it with them in the first place.”
Maxwell, the daughter of former press baron Robert Maxwell, is on trial in New York accused of grooming and trafficking three underage girls for Epstein. She denies all the charges.
Prosecutors say the 59-year-old normalised sex for the girls, took them to massage rooms to be abused by Epstein and imposed a “culture of silence” at his mansion homes.
Jane said she was first approached by Maxwell at a camp in 1993, shortly after the death of her father, and was then invited to Epstein’s Palm Beach home.
She said Epstein carried out a sex act on her in a pool house after telling her: “I know everybody, I know agents, photographers, I can make things happen but you have to be ready for it.”
She said: “I was frozen in fear. I had never seen a penis before let alone something like this. I was terrified and I felt gross. I felt ashamed.”
She described an alleged incident when a giggling Epstein and Maxwell stripped off in front of her before asking her to undress. “Did Maxwell touch your body?” asked prosecutor Alison Moe, and Jane replied “yes”, saying the abuse happened “every time I visited his house”.
Jane said she was taken underwear shopping at Victoria’s Secret and described the “creepy” décor at Epstein’s New York mansion as well as the interior of his jet.
Earlier, Larry Visoski, Epstein’s pilot for 25 years, said he met Jane in the cockpit of the “Lolita Express” and recalled flying with Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew — allegations he denies.
Mr Visoski said passengers included Prince Andrew, presidents Trump and Clinton, and actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker, but he denied witnessing any sexual activity.
In her opening statement, Maxwell’s lawyer Bobbi Sternheim suggested Epstein had been Jane’s “benefactor” as she pursued a career in the entertainment industry.
“Before Epstein’s arrest in 2019, Jane did not want to be involved in any criminal case regarding Epstein,” she said.
“But after Epstein died... when money was on the line, she changed her mind ... because assisting the government would help a claim with the Epstein fund.”
She accused Jane of belatedly recalling “all this horror ... and places Ghislaine at the centre of it all”.
Maxwell denies charges of conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, a sex trafficking conspiracy, and sex trafficking of a minor.
Cross-examination of the witness was expected to continue later on Wednesday.
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