Virginia Giuffre, an alleged victim of paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, has hailed the guilty verdict in the Ghislaine Maxwell trial, calling it "another step towards justice" and adding that more people must be held accountable, as Epstein's "madam" did not act alone.
"My soul yearned for justice for years and today the jury gave me just that. I will remember this day always", she said. "Having lived with the horrors of Maxwell's abuse, my heart goes out to the many other girls and young women who suffered at her hands and whose lives she destroyed".
On Wednesday, a jury found Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and three counts of conspiracy.
Ghislaine Maxwell sits with her defense lawyers during the trial of Maxwell, the Jeffrey Epstein associate accused of sex trafficking, in a courtroom sketch in New York City, U.S., December 10, 2021
© REUTERS / JANE ROSENBERG
Giuffre, who now lives in Australia with her family, said she had met Maxwell in 2000 while working as a spa attendant at the Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Giuffre, who was 17 years old at the time, was offered a potential job working for Epstein as a travelling masseuse, which she accepted.
The woman said she was then groomed by Epstein and Giuffre to offer sexual services to rich and powerful clients. According to Giuffre, she was forced to have sex with UK Queen Elizabeth II's son, Prince Andrew, on at least three occasions, including when she was underage. Earlier this year, she filed a civil lawsuit against the Duke of York in the Southern District Court of New York under the state's NY Child Victims Act. Prince Andrew has denied ever meeting the woman, saying that her accusations are baseless.