Ghislaine Maxwell, a close associate of deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was on Monday again denied bail by US judge Alison Nathan in the Manhattan district court over fears that the UK-born socialite was a flight risk and would attempt to escape from charges over her alleged involvement in the late financier’s exploitation and abuse of young girls.
Held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, New York, Maxwell was previously denied bail by the same judge in July, following her arrest at a New Hampshire home that month. At the time, Nathan stated that she was convinced by prosecutors’ arguments that the defendant would attempt to flee the country if she was released.
“The Court again concludes that no conditions of release can reasonably assure the Defendant’s appearance at future proceedings,” Nathan said in her Monday ruling. “In reaching that conclusion, the Court considers the nature and circumstances of the offenses charged, the weight of the evidence against the Defendant, the history and characteristics of the Defendant, and the nature and seriousness of the danger that the Defendant’s release would pose.”
Earlier this month, Maxwell’s legal team repeated its bail request, offering a $28.5 million bond for her release, along with the ability of electronic monitoring and a 24-hour guard that would, in their estimation, ensure that she remained safe and would not flee. US prosecutors used arguments similar to those they used in July, stating that the charges against the 59-year-old are “incredibly serious,” and noting that evidence continues to stack up against her.
Maxwell is awaiting a July 2021 trial, and continues to deny her involvement in sex trafficking underage girls to convicted sex offender Epstein, who reportedly committed suicide in prison in 2019. Maxwell claims that she “never observed Jeffrey having sex with a minor”.