First accuser claims Ghislaine Maxwell watched Epstein sexually abuse her when she was 14
1 December 2021, 07:15
An alleged victim has told a court she was "frozen in fear" after Ghislaine Maxwell and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein summoned her to an orgy when she was just 14 years old.
The alleged victim, who testified under the pseudonym "Jane" on Tuesday, said she did not tell anybody about the abuse because she was "terrified" and "felt gross and ashamed".
Ghislaine is on trial in New York accused with preying upon vulnerable young girls and luring them to massage rooms to be molested by Epstein.
She is alleged to have gained the trust of teenage girls as young as 14 and normalised sex for her partner Epstein to abuse them between 1994 and 2004.
Jane alleged that Epstein and Maxwell would "fondle" each other while "casually giggling" in front of the teenager.
Listen to LBC's podcast Hunting Ghislaine with John Sweeney.
Giving testimony following questions from Assistant United States Attorney Alison Moe, Jane claimed Epstein would use sex toys on her "even though it hurt".
She told the court: "I remember, maybe the first time I went to the poolside, I went out there and there were four women and Ghislaine and they were all topless and some of them were naked."
Asked how she felt about that, Jane replied: "I was just shocked because I hadn't seen that before."
"How did Maxwell come across to you?"
"She seemed a bit odd and quirky. She would tease me at times but she was nice.
"She may have said 'I'm like an older sister to you'."
Jane then told jurors about a shopping trip in 1994 with Maxwell and Epstein.
She said: "I bought some pants, some shoes, some loafers, some shirts and a cashmere sweater.
"We also went to a Victoria Secret and bought some underwear."
Read more: Ghislaine Maxwell’s brother says Prince Andrew was 'cancelled' on 'dubious grounds'
On Monday, prosecutor Lara Pomerantz told the court that Maxwell and Epstein flaunted their wealth and popularity and "made sure everybody knew".
Jane followed on from the opening statement by saying: "From the very beginning there was a lot of bragging about how they were friends with essentially everyone.
"They would name drop and had people on speaker phone.
"They would say that they were very well connected.
"It made me feel slightly intimidated and it was overwhelming and I didn't know how to feel about it."
Asked what famous names she had heard, Jane listed former presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton and former journalist and game show host Mike Wallace.
Continuing her questions, Ms Moe asked: "There came a time when you had sexual contact. Approximately when was that?"
"1994," she replied.
"How old were you?"
"14."
"Jeffrey was asking me... you really need to focus on what you want to do, you can't be broad."
Listen: Hunting Ghislaine: A new LBC podcast investigating the life of Ghislaine Maxwell
Read more: Watch in full: Nick Ferrari speaks to Ghislaine Maxwell's brother ahead of trial
"He said 'I know everybody - all the agents and photographers, the owner of Victoria Secret, and I can make things happen, you just have to be ready for it'."
Asked how the alleged sex acts would happen, Jane said: "Conversations ended abruptly. He just took my hand and said 'follow me'.
"He took me outside past the pool to the pool house.
"He took me in the pool house and on the right-hand side was this couch and he just proceeded to pull me and didn't say a word, he just pulled his pants down and pulled me on top him."
Once Epstein had finished, Jane said: "He got up, went to the bathroom and after that pretended like nothing had happened.
"I was frozen in fear."
Jane said she didn't tell anybody about it because she was "terrified".
Asked why she had not told anybody about it, Jane said: "Because I was terrified. I felt gross and felt ashamed."
"After that night, did you continue to spend time with Epstein in Palm Beach?"
"Yes."
"Did you ever see Ghislaine Maxwell without her clothes on?"
"Shortly after the first incident... the three of us were spending time together, hanging out and talking, and they said 'follow me'."
Jane said they then went up the winding staircase to Epstein's bedroom.
She continued: "They moved me over to the bed and took their clothes off and they started to sort of like fondle each other and casually giggling about it.
"I was just standing there and he asked me to take my top off."
The alleged victim said Epstein performed a sex act on himself while Maxwell started "fondling" him.
Speaking about how Maxwell encouraged her to go to massage rooms with Epstein, Jane said: "She would lead me to a massage table and show me how Jeffrey likes to be massaged."
Asked where the so-called massage would take place, Jane said: "In a massage room, off the master bedroom."
"Who would give the instructions?"
"Ghislaine and Jeffrey."
"What kind of instructions would they give you?"
"Just showing me what men like, what women like."
"I would say that it seemed very causal. It was very normal - not a big deal.
"It made me feel confused. It didn't feel normal to me and it was very embarrassing when you are 14, you have no idea what is going on."
Jane said Epstein would touch her inappropriately, and, asked if anyone ever used a sex toy, she said: "He liked to use a vibrator of different sizes... even back massagers which are painful."
The alleged victim said Epstein would use it "even though it hurt".
Asked if Maxwell had ever touched her body, Jane said: "Yes."
Jane said sex acts would occur when a number of other women, older than her, were there.
"Once again, (it just happened) abruptly - everything would start and Ghislaine or Jeffrey would summon people to follow them to a room.
"What would Maxwell do?"
"She started taking her clothes off and it would sort of turn into this orgy."
Jane also spoke of alleged abuse in Epstein's New York apartment.
Asked how she felt when she was told Epstein wanted to see her, she said: "My heart sank into my stomach because I did not want to go and see him."
Maxwell denies all charges against her.
The trial continues.
