Ghislaine Maxwell trial LIVE – Latest updates from Jeffrey Epstein ‘madam’ trial as sick obituary meme spreads online

‘JANE’S’ TESTIMONY, PART TWO

Jane previously told how the British socialite was “in the room” when much of the abuse occurred – including when she was just 14.

She repeatedly said she could either not recall or claimed there were errors in the initial transcription of her comments when speaking to prosecutors in 2019.

It appears a key part of Maxwell’s defence lawyers strategy is attempting to suggest the victim’s memories have changed over time.

‘JANE’S’ TESTIMONY

Maxwell’s first accuser “Jane” took the stand on Wednesday on day three of the trial.

She claimed Maxwell fondled her as Epstein pleasured himself before the twisted financier abused her with sex toys.

Jane also told the court that an “orgy” took place in the mansion’s massage room on multiple occasions and both Maxwell and Epstein allegedly took part.

EPSTEIN’S PROPERTY EMPIRE

Epstein’s real estate catalog included Little St James, his private island in the US Virgin Islands, worth about £50 million.

Epstein also owned the £14 million neighbouring island, Great St James, as well a £12 million mansion in Florida.

Other properties included an 8,000-acre, £21 million ranch in New Mexico, a £10 million Paris apartment, and a £57 million seven-storey townhouse on New York’s Upper East Side.

EPSTEIN’S AIRCRAFT FLEET

Epstein’s aircraft fleet included a Hawker Siddeley 125, a Gulfstream G2B and a helicopter.

There was also a Boeing 727, which is more than 130ft long, that was dubbed the “Lolita Express” amid claims he used it to fly underage girls around the world.

That plane was fitted with an office dubbed “the red room” because of its furniture, a master bedroom with a queen-sized bed, a lounge area with a huge round sofa, plus a “full decked-out” kitchen.

MAXWELL’S ‘LIEUTENANT’

Epstein’s chief pilot Larry Visoski told the trial: “[Epstein] had an array of personal assistants, almost like professional shoppers, because there were a lot of items that needed to be purchased for all of the properties that were being acquired.”

He named Sarah Kellen, now 42, as the person he spoke to most about arranging flights.

Previously Kellen has been described in lawsuits as Maxwell’s “lieutenant” in Epstein’s circle of abuse.

Kellen has denied any wrongdoing, telling The Sun: “I’ve been made out to be such a monster, but it’s not true. I’m a victim of Jeffrey Epstein. I was raped and abused weekly.”

MAXWELL ‘DRAWS SKETCH ARTIST RIGHT BACK’

A court sketch of Ghislaine Maxwell in court shared by a Twitter user appeared to show the British socialite drawing the sketch artist as she was drawn herself.

MAXWELL ‘TOLD HOUSEKEEPER TO STUFF MONEY IN EPSTEIN’S CARS’

Former Epstein staffer Juan Alessi described Maxwell as the “lady of the house” who called him “John” and told him to stuff $100 bills into each of the millionaire’s cars.

‘THREE MASSAGES A DAY’

On Thursday, former Epstein housekeeper Juan Alessi was asked “how many massages would Mr Epstein get a day?”

He replied: “Before I left, three a day. I called whoever they told me to call.”

The prosecution then asked: “Did the phone books we discussed have names for massage in them?

Alessi answered: “Yes. ”

Prosecution: “Did you see [alleged victim] Jane’s name in it?”

Mr Alessi: “Yes. The books were updated twice a year.”

HOUSEKEEPER CONFIRMED MEETING VIRGINIA ROBERTS, CONTINUED

Alessi alleges he first met Virginia when she worked at Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida.

He told the court: “I was at Mar-A-Lago with Ms Maxwell. I waited in the car like the driver.”

Asked by the prosecution, “how did she look?”, the 72-year-old replied: “young”, and when asked how old she was he said: “14 or 15.”

HOUSEKEEPER CONFIRMED MEETING VIRGINIA ROBERTS

The former staff member said that two girls, who appeared underage, also frequently stayed at the mansion.

He told the court one was Virginia Roberts – who alleges she was forced to sleep with Prince Andrew three times – and the alleged victim in the trial who uses the pseudonym ‘Jane.’

Asked how old Jane was when he first met her, Alessi said: “Appeared 14 or 15. She was beautiful, beautiful eyes, long brunette hair, very pleasant.

“Three times she was there with her mother. Then, without her mother. Many times.”

‘SEE NOTHING, SAY NOTHING’

Housekeeper Alessi – who lived at Epstein’s mansion – told the court that Maxwell would sleep in the pedophile’s bedroom when she stayed at the Florida home.

He said that the Brit once handed him a 58-page booklet with a checklist detailing the tasks he was to carry out to “maintain the house.”

The court was told the book included the instruction: “See nothing. Say nothing.”

It also said: “Do not discuss your personal problems with guests” and “Respect their privacy.”

Mr Alessi said: “I was supposed to be blind, deaf…to say nothing.”

HOUSEKEEPER SAYS MAXWELL TOLD HIM NOT TO LOOK IN EPSTEIN’S EYES

House manager Juan Alessi, who moved to Florida from Ecuador in 1984, was asked by the prosecution “how did things change” when Maxwell became involved with Epstein.

He replied: “Things were less cordial. Less conversation. I was not allowed to see Mr Epstein anymore, unless he asked me question.

“Ms Maxwell said, ‘Don’t look at his eyes, look at another part of him.'”

EPSTEIN HOUSEKEEPER SAYS HE SAW ‘HUNDREDS’ OF TOPLESS GIRLS

Juan Patricio Alessi, 72, who worked at Epstein’s mansion in Palm Beach, Florida for more than 10 years, told the court on Thursday that he saw “hundreds” of topless girls bathing at the property’s pool.

Alessi took the stand during the fourth day of the socialite’s trial in New York City following her arrest last year.

When asked how any times he saw females bathing at the mansion’s pool, Alessi said: “100s.”

Asked if the women were “topless”, the witness said: “75% of the time.”

COURT SKETCH: MAXWELL SISTERS CONVENE

This courtroom sketch shows Isabel Maxwell (L) speaking with her sister Ghislaine Maxwell during her trial on charges of sex trafficking, in New York City, on December 2, 2021.

The 59-year-old daughter of late newspaper baron Robert Maxwell faces an effective life sentence if convicted in New York of sex trafficking minors for late financier Jeffrey Epstein, her former lover who killed himself in prison over two years ago.

WHO FLEW ON THE ‘LOLITA EXPRESS’? PART TWO

Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey flew to Africa on the Lolita Express in 2002 as part of a project to raise awareness on the Aids crisis and poverty.

Comedian Chris Tucker was also part of the group, including Clinton and Spacey, who flew to Africa on a five-day humanitarian trip in 2002.

Flight logs reveal that Naomi Campbell also traveled on Epstein’s plane in 2002.

Epstein’s lawyer Alan Dershowitz took trips on the jet in the late 1990s, flight records show.

WHO FLEW ON THE ‘LOLITA EXPRESS’?

Former Epstein pilot Lawrence Visoski testified that former President Donald Trump was aboard Epstein’s distinctive Gulf Stream plane.

The Sun reported in 2019 that Prince Andrew flew on a ­private jet with Epstein and his alleged 17-year-old sex slave Virginia Roberts.

Brit socialite Ghislaine Maxwell traveled on the Lolita Express on a number of occasions, flight logs show.

According to flight logs obtained by Fox News in 2016, former US president Bill Clinton was a passenger on the jet.

EPSTEIN RECEIVED SEVERAL MASSAGES A DAY

Juan Patricio Alessi said Jeffrey Epstein received up to three massages a day — in the morning, in the afternoon, and after dinner, The Independent noted.

WHAT WAS THE ‘LOLITA EXPRESS’?

Jeffrey Epstein was alleged to have used the plane to court underage girls and fly them between his residences across the US.

The luxury Boeing 727 aircraft was owned by Epstein, though what exactly happened on the flights remains a close guarded secret.

Victims of Epstein say he organized orgies on board the three-engine commercial jet.

The luxury aircraft boasted deluxe furnishings, a spacious galley, expansive cabin lounge, and a master bedroom.

The pilot of the plane reportedly undertook around 1,000 flights during his time flying Epstein and others.

ALESSI GIVEN ‘DEGRADING’ LIST OF TASKS

Alessi added he was given a list of tasks to perform to maintain the house in a 58-page long booklet, The Independent reported.

He told Ghislaine Maxwell he couldn’t do all the tasks alongside his other work, describing it to the court as “very degrading.”

ALESSI SAYS HE VISITED EPSTEIN’S PRIVATE ISLAND

Juan Patricio Alessi said he visited the private island, Little St James, while on a cruise to St Thomas with his wife, during the trial today, according to The Independent.

He also said he went to Maxwell’s London townhouse.

THE DEFENSE’S ARGUMENT

Maxwell’s lawyer Bobbi Sternheim previously cast doubt on the accusers’ claims and argued Maxwell was a “scapegoat” for the multimillionaire pedophile’s crimes.

“Memories fade over time and this case you will learn that not only have memories faded, but they have been contaminated by outside information, constant media reports and other influences,” she said.

“The government is trying to stitch together stories of four different people, four different stories to support a pattern.

“But the only pattern you will see here is the success of those four people getting big money awards from the Epstein fund.

“They have been impacted by lawyers, by media, by things they have read, things they have heard. And by money. Big Bucks.”

THE CHARGES

The exact charges against Maxwell are:

• 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
• Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity
• Sex trafficking conspiracy
• Sex trafficking of a minor

She also faces two other charges of perjury over allegations she lied in a deposition in a separate civil suit, but these will be tried separately.

She has pleaded not guilty to all charges against her.

NEW WITNESS CALLED

The prosecution has called a new witness, Juan Patricio Alessi, according to The Independent.

The outlet reports he worked for a wealthy family in Palm Beach as a maintenance contractor before working for Epstein as a housekeeper.

MAXWELL’S LAWYER INVOKED THE BIBLE IN OPENING STATEMENT

Opening the case for the defense, Bobbi Sternheim told the jury: “Ever since Eve was accused of tempting Adam with the apple, women have been blamed for the bad behavior of men, and women are often vilified and punished more than men are.

“The charges against Ghislaine Maxwell are for things Jeffrey Epstein did. But she is not Jeffrey Epstein.

“She is not like Jeffrey Epstein and she is not like any of the other men, powerful men, moguls, who abused women.”

HOW LONG COULD MAXWELL FACE IN PRISON?

If convicted on all counts, Maxwell could face up to 80 years in prison.

Depending on how the trial goes and whether she is convicted, she could spend the rest of her life behind bars.