(New York) Former collaborator of financier Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, poses an “extreme” risk of absconding in the event of release, the federal prosecutor of Manhattan argued Monday before a crucial hearing Tuesday.
Published on 13 July 2020 at 16 h 19
France Media Agency
Arrested in New Hampshire on July 2 after several months on the run, this figure from the jet set was charged with participating in a pedophile network and inciting prostitution.
She would have recruited several adolescent girls for Jeffrey Epstein in several cities around the world.
The financier hanged himself in his cell in early August 2019, a few weeks after his arrest.
Friday, Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyers proposed a financial package that guaranteed a bail of $ 5 million to allow his release pending his trial.
On Monday, federal prosecutor Manhattan Audrey Strauss asked federal judge Alison Nathan to reject this request, arguing that Ghislaine Maxwell posed an “extreme” risk of absconding.
The prosecution stresses that the daughter of the former British press magnate Robert Maxwell has substantial financial means and a network of acquaintances abroad.
She also enjoys French nationality, which would make her extradition impossible if she took refuge in France once released.
The prosecutor also recalls that Ghislaine Maxwell went into hiding for several months after the outbreak of the Epstein case, knowing that the American authorities were interested in his testimony.
The prosecution also stresses that the proposed arrangement for the bond is based on a guarantee and not on an actual payment.
“The court should take this proposition into account for what it is worth: nothing,” wrote prosecutor Strauss.
The prosecution also dismisses the argument that Ghislaine Maxwell should be released given the risk of contamination with COVID – 19 in federal prison in Brooklyn where she is currently being held.
The prosecutor ensures that measures have been taken by the prison establishment to limit these risks.
Tuesday’s hearing, via teleconference, should be an opportunity to discuss the opportunity for release and allow Ghislaine Maxwell to plead not guilty.