Jeffrey Epstein's Companion Arrested In NH; Has North Shore Ties

BRADFORD, NH — A British socialite who tried to escape media scrutiny at a $3 million estate on the North Shore helped financier Jeffrey Epstein "groom" young girls for sexual exploitation, according to an indictment handed down in U.S. federal court.

"Ghislaine Maxwell enticed minor girls, got them to trust her, then delivered them into the trap she and Epstein had set for them," said Audrey Strauss, the acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. "After many years Ghislaine Maxwell finally stands charged for her role in these crimes.”

Maxwell was arrested around 8:30 a.m. in Bradford, NH Thursday. Investigators said they had been keeping tabs on Maxwell’s whereabouts for the past several years. She recently "slithered away to a gorgeous property in New Hampshire" where she continued to "live a life of privilege while her victims continued to suffer."

New Charges Predate Indictment Against Epstein

While last year’s indictment against Epstein, who committed suicide last summer while awaiting trial, covered the years 2002 to 2005, the charges against Maxwell stem from a period covering 1994 to 1997. Strauss said Maxwell participated in some of the sexual abuse of the girls and helped Epstein gain their trust by taking an interest in their lives and by taking them to the movies and on shopping trips.

"Maxwell would encourage them to accept Epstein’s offers to pay for their travel and their education, making them feel indebted to Epstein," Strauss said. "Maxwell tried to normalize the abuse by discussing sexual topics, undressing in front of the victims and by being present during the abuse. Her presence as an adult woman put the young women at ease and, as Maxwell and Epstein intended, left them susceptible to abuse."

Maxwell was scheduled to be arraigned by video in U.S. District Court in Concord later on Thursday. After her arraignment, Maxwell is expected to be transferred to the Merrimack County jail in Boscawen, New Hampshire.

Maxwell is charged with 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, and two counts of perjury.

The perjury charges stem from a 2016 interview with investigators, where prosecutors say Maxwell lied while under oath. "Maxwell lied because the truth as alleged was almost unspeakable," Strauss said.

Maxwell, who Esptein called his "best friend," is the daughter of disgraced British media baron Robert Maxwell. She and Epstein dated and remained close after the relationship ended. Some of Epstein's victims have filed civil suits against Maxwell for her role in their abuse.

Went By "G" While Living In Massachusetts

Strauss said the delay in filing criminal charges against Maxwell stemmed from the complexity of building the case for crimes committed more than 23 years ago. Maxwell, 57, reportedly lived at Tidewood Estate in Manchester-by-the-Sea with Scott Borgerson, chief executive of CargoMetrics Technologies and an ocean conservation activist at various times between 2016 and last year.

Epstein was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges when he killed himself in his jail cell last summer. He had been convicted on sex charges in Florida in 2009 after being accused of molesting dozens of girls. The light punishment in that case drew widespread criticism.

After Epstein's suicide, media descended on Manchester-by-the-Sea, a tiny, affluent community. It's not clear if Maxwell continued to live there after the media found the location of the estate. Maxwell has also spent time over the past decade living in London, New York and Paris, as well as on luxury yachts, and with friends in southern California.

The British socialite was born in Paris and educated at the University of Oxford. Last year, neighbor's told boston.com she had been seen around Manchester-by-the-Sea and went by "G" instead of her distinctive first name.

Arrest Comes After Mysterious Yacht Sighting In Beverly

Maxwell had been seen in Paris as recently as late last month. It's not clear why she has spent time in the United States as the criminal case was being built against her, given her means to go to countries that would not extradite her.

Maxwell's arrest comes a day after a yacht owned by Alexander Mashkevitch, a Russian businessman and Jewish philanthropist with close ties to political leaders in Kazakhstan, was spotted in Beverly Harbor. In 2010, Turkish police seized another one of his yachts on suspicion that it had been used to host a sex party with nine young women, including two underage girls, for Kazakh businessmen. Mashkevich was not charged.

It's not clear if Mashkevitch was on board the yacht in Beverly Harbor, which departed Wednesday, or if there is any connection to Maxwell's arrest.

Accusations Against Maxwell Date Back To 2005

Maxwell has ties with international power brokers, including President Donald Trump. She attended Chelsea Clinton's 2011 wedding and was responsible for introducing Britain's Prince Andrew to Epstein. Strauss said her office would "welcome the opportunity" to interview Prince Andrew.

Accusations that Maxwell recruited, groomed and sexually abused minor girls for Epstein go as far back as 2005, when police in Palm Beach, Florida, tried to interview her. The first lawsuit accusing her of her role in Epstein's crimes was filed in 2009, but Thursday's indictments were the first criminal charges brought against her.

Epstein and Maxwell "trained me to do what they wanted, including sexual activities and the use of sexual toys" in New York and Florida, one victim wrote in a 2015 court filing.

"Ghislaine Maxwell was heavily involved in the illegal sex. I understood her to be a very powerful person. She used Epstein’s money and he used her name and connections to gain power and prestige," the victim said. "One way to describe Maxwell’s role was as the 'madame.' She assumed a position of trust for all the girls, including me."

Patch staff writer Tony Schinella contributed to this report.

Correction: An earlier version of this article said Maxwell had been arrested in Bedford, New Hampshire. The FBI confirmed that she was taken into custody in Bradford, New Hampshire.

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).