Prosecutors in the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite and former partner of Jeffrey Epstein, closed the seventh day of proceedings with the surprise announcement that they intend to rest their case this week, perhaps on Thursday.
Ms Maxwell, 59, is accused of grooming teenage girls for abuse by the late convicted sex offender and financier. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges against her.
The day began with jurors being shown photographs depicting Ms Maxwell’s relationship with Epstein. Judge Alison Nathan agreed that the photographs were relevant as they showed the relationship between the pair who were a couple during the 1990s and into the 2000s.
Much of the day was taken up with testimony from accuser “Carolyn”, who was allegedly paid by Ms Maxwell to massage Epstein from when she was 14 to when she was 18 at his Palm Beach residence. She said something sexual happened every time she visited the house, that she was fondled by Ms Maxwell, and she was encouraged to recruit other girls.
If Ms Maxwell is found guilty, she could face up to 35 years in jail.
