The trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite and former partner of Jeffrey Epstein, is set to resume today.
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 trial at a federal district court in Manhattan is expected to last six weeks. It was adjourned for the weekend in New York City on Friday.
Last week, prosecutors brought a green massage table in front of the jurors and one survivor claimed in her testimony that Epstein routinely used massages as a pretext for sex abuse.
One of the sexual abuse survivors, Sarah Ransome — who says she was repeatedly raped by Epstein over a nine-month period — described Ms Maxwell as a “very sick woman” who took pleasure in “humiliating” her victims.
Ms Ransome said: “Ghislaine enjoyed humiliating us. You could see the enjoyment in her face.”
Meanwhile, defence attorney Bobbi Sternheim said on the first day of the trial last week: “The charges against Ghislaine Maxwell are for things that Jeffrey Epstein did, but she is not Jeffrey Epstein.”
If Ms Maxwell is found guilty, she could face up to 35 years in jail.
