Four of Ghislaine Maxwell’s accusers testified against her in Manhattan federal court, painting a compelling and powerful story of sexual abuse.
These women – Jane, Kate, Carolyn and Annie Farmer – testified they met Maxwell as teens, and that she lured them into Jeffrey Epstein’s orbit. While the dates and exact circumstances of their encounters with Maxwell differ, they all share striking similarities. Only Farmer used her real full name.
These four women all describe being vulnerable when they met Maxwell, such as suffering financial precarity or strained family relationships. They said that Maxwell made them feel comfortable before Epstein’s misconduct and that she made them feel special by asking questions about their lives. She served as a reassuring presence that tempered concerns or suspicions about Epstein.
They all said that Maxwell was involved in Epstein’s abuse or misconduct. Three said that Maxwell coordinated their appointments with Epstein. Three said that Maxwell touched them. They all described Maxwell as working to satisfy Epstein’s physical needs. Accusers’ testimony portrayed Maxwell as an enabler and, in some instances, an enthusiastic participant.
Here are their stories:
Jane
In summer 1994, Jane met Maxwell at Interlochen Center for the Arts youth camp in Michigan. Jane, then 14, was eating ice cream with her friends when a woman “walking a cute little Yorkie” dog – Maxwell – approached. They started chatting and eventually a man, Epstein, joined them.
They were interested in her time at Interlochen, telling Jane that they provided children scholarships. They learned Jane was from Palm Beach and asked for her mother’s phone number. Jane gave them her contact information and, after she returned from camp, they called to invite her and her mom for tea.
After that initial tea, Jane started spending time with Epstein every week or two. Epstein first abused Jane when she was 14. Jane said that there were sexual encounters with Epstein for the next three years, around every two weeks.
Sometimes, Maxwell was in the room during this sexual abuse. There were occasions when Maxwell touched Jane’s breasts, she testified. “There were hands everywhere,” Jane recalled of an encounter with Epstein and Maxwell.
Kate
The second accuser to testify, Kate said that she met Maxwell around 1994, in Paris. Kate found Maxwell to be “very sophisticated and very elegant” and gave the British socialite her phone number. Kate testified that Maxwell invited her for tea. During this meeting, Maxwell gushed about “her boyfriend”, Epstein.
Not long after their tea at Maxwell’s London townhouse, she called Kate and told her that Epstein was there, would she be able to come by and meet him? When she arrived, Maxwell told Epstein that Kate was “very strong” and told the teen, “Why don’t you give his feet a little squeeze to show him how strong you are?”
She did so and “he seemed to be very approving and said, ‘Go ahead, you can do my shoulders.’” Epstein received a call and Maxwell shuttled her out of the house. Maxwell rang Kate a few weeks later, saying that Epstein’s masseuse had canceled, could she come over?
Kate went and said that Maxwell led her up the stairs into a room with a table. Epstein was inside, sporting a robe, which he removed to be naked. Maxwell shut the door, Kate said, and Epstein initiated a sexual encounter. Kate said that Maxwell invited her over several days later, and that a similar encounter took place. Kate saw Epstein several times a year over the next few years.
Carolyn
At 14, Caroyln’s 17-year-old boyfriend introduced her to Virginia Giuffre – a longtime Maxwell and Epstein accuser. “Virginia asked me if I wanted to come make money,” Carolyn said of their meeting in the early 2000s. Giuffre, then 18, said they would go to her friend’s house on Palm Beach island to “give him a massage”.
When they got to Epstein’s house, Carolyn said Maxwell greeted them, telling Giuffre: “You can bring her upstairs and show her what to do.” Giuffre disrobed. Epstein came into the room and climbed on to the massage table face-down. They massaged him for 45 minutes and then he turned over. Giuffre then had sex with him.
Carolyn later went back to Epstein’s house, without Giuffre, saying that Maxwell got her phone number and called to schedule massages. Carolyn said she went to Epstein’s home “over 100” times from age 14 to 18.
Carolyn said that at age 14, before one of the massages, Maxwell “came in and felt my boobs and my hips and my buttocks and said … that I had a great body for Mr Epstein and his friends.”
Annie Farmer
The fourth and final accuser to testify, Annie Farmer said that Maxwell gave her a nude massage when she was only 16. Farmer said that she met Epstein at his Manhattan manse in late 1995. Annie’s sister, Maria Farmer, worked for him as a fine arts painter. Epstein bought the ticket for Annie.
The first time Farmer met Epstein was to pick up Phantom of the Opera tickets he had bought them. Farmer saw Epstein again when she and Maria went to a movie with him. He sat between the two sisters. At one point, he “caressed” Farmer’s hand and touched her foot and leg. Farmer learned in spring 1996 that she would travel to see him again, for a weekend at his ranch outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. She wasn’t eager to go but felt slightly more comfortable because a woman – Maxwell – would be there.
After returning to the ranch following an excursion to town, “it was decided” that Farmer would learn to massage Epstein’s feet. Farmer said Maxwell instructed her and that she followed along. Maxwell then asked if she’d ever had a professional massage.
A massage table was set up in the room where Farmer was staying. “She said to get undressed and get [under] the sheet on the massage table,” Farmer said. “She pulled the sheet down and exposed my breasts, and started rubbing on my chest and on my upper breast.”
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 802 9999. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
