Ghislaine Maxwell has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on child sex-trafficking charges - plus a $750,000 fine.
Maxwell, 60, was found guilty on 29 December by a federal jury on five charges, including sex trafficking for the recruitment and grooming of four girls between 1994 and 2004 for sexual encounters with her former boyfriend and “partner in crime” Jeffrey Epstein.
In handing down the sentence in Manhattan Federal Court on Tuesday, Judge Alison Nathan called Maxwell’s conduct “heinous and predatory” and dismissed the assertion that she cannot afford fines.
A shackled Maxwell was joined in court by members of her family as well as several of her victims, who delivered impact statements before the sentence was read.
Maxwell also addressed the court, saying that meeting Epstein was “the biggest regret of my life” and telling victims: “I hope my conviction and harsh incarceration brings you peace and finality.”
Federal prosecutors had sought a 30-55 year sentence for Maxwell, while her defence requested no more than five and quarter.
