Almost two years since the arrest and death of Jeffrey Epstein, public scrutiny against the convicted sex offender and his involvement in a child sex trafficking ring is yet to cease.
Documentary after documentary has dove into the depths of his illegal and disturbing wrongdoings, but most importantly, the role of Ghislaine Maxwell.
In a new documentary, titled Ghislaine Maxwell: Epstein’s Shadow, the life of his former girlfriend and British socialite is pulled apart, from for her apparent involvement in facilitating his crimes to past illegal activities she’s taken part in.
After she was arrested in July 2020, the New York Times reported that she was taken into custody for criminal charges linked to his reported sex-trafficking operation. She was accused of helping Epstein “recruit, groom and ultimately abuse” multiple girls, including one as young as 14.
With her trial set to take place in November 2021, the three-hour documentary follows her life, testimonies from victims and archival clips from her childhood with words by former friends and family. And while there are a plethora of documentaries focusing on Epstein’s crimes and her involvement, Ghislaine Maxwell: Epstein’s Shadow offers a deep dive into a side of Maxwell that some may have never heard of.
If you don’t have three hours up your sleeve, fret not. We’ve done hard work for you, below, the most damning revelations from Ghislaine Maxwell: Epstein’s Shadow.
“These are the wealthiest people in the world and they have the most power.” It’s believed an upcoming plea deal will see Maxwell serve less jail time.
Throughout the documentary, the sage advice from former CIA officer John Kiriakou was vital to understanding what lies ahead for Maxwell. Given that her trial is slated for this November, predictions on its outcome were expected.
As per Kiriakou’s professional take, he believes that she be offered a smaller sentence and sent to a low-security prison in order to avoid the release of tapes involving high-profile sexual abusers.
“I think the Justice Department will offer Ghislaine Maxwell something that she can live with. It won’t be 30 years, maybe it will be 10 or 15 years,” he admits.
According to one of Epstein’s victims, Maria Farmer, she expressed her beliefs that those with the most wealth, hold the most power.
“These are the wealthiest people in the world and they have the most power. There’s only one way that they don’t get away with everything and that’s if they are killed. So either she gets away with everything, or she gets killed.”
And while residing in a low-security prison for a shorter time may sound like Maxwell has ‘won’ her fight, her former friend Lady Victoria Hervey believes that it may work against her, leaving Maxwell in danger.
“Of course she’s in danger,” Hervey said. “Look at what happened to Jeffrey.”
“A school skirt, braces, the whole thing.” Allegedly, the young girls Maxwell brought to Epstein’s house thought it was for a modelling audition.
According to the documentary, the plethora of young girls Maxwell brought to Epstein’s New York home were under the impression that they were getting the chance to audition for a prestigious modelling opportunity.
Farmer worked as a receptionist at the house and admitted that on one occasion, after witnessing an incredibly distraught teenager leave in tears, Maxwell told her: “Maria, she didn’t get the job […] modelling is a tough business.”
She added that said teenager was in “a school skirt, braces, the whole thing.”
“Mummy, I exist.” Maxwell’s upbringing was reportedly defined by torn relationships and filled with crisis.
As per an interview with Sunday Times reporter Rosie Kinchen, she revealed that Maxwell’s mother, Betty, believes the tragedy was what saw her daughter develop an eating disorder, which she claims was due to her “need for attention”. She added that one of Betty’s books reveals one moment when a young Maxwell told her mother: “Mummy, I exist.”
But Betty wasn’t the only family member who moulded Maxwell’s fate. Her father, Robert Maxwell, was the face behind The Mirror Group publishing company and a suspected spy. And while his resume read as impressive, his apparent approach to parenting was anything but.
As per the documentary, Daily Mirror reporter Roy Greenslade shared an insight into her father’s behaviour, explaining that he behaved like a “bully” and found joy in “berating and dismissing people” for no reason.
According to Kinchen, her father looked to “humiliate” his children frequently and forced them to participate in “dressing downs” each night. While interviewing Maxwell’s brothers, they revealed to Kinchen that their father was “hooked on discipline and on duty”, but despite his abuse, Maxwell was always “daddy’s little girl” and did what ever she could to please him.
“She wasn’t going to let light in on the darkness.” Many believe that Maxwell covered up her father’s wrongdoings after his death
Come 1991 and Maxwell’s father falls overboard from his yacht, Lady Ghislaine, and is found dead. Upon news of her father’s death, she reportedly emulated the emotions of a “bereaved widow” during interactions with the press and public, according to her former friend, Anna Pasternak.
However, Greenslade suggested that a colleague of her father’s witnessed Maxwell destroying important documents on the yacht immediately after his death. In fact, Pasternak added that her alleged involvement in destroying evidence “shows that she would have had quite an involvement in the business to know what documents to shred”.
But as predicted from her questionable relationship with her father, Greenslade added that her decision to protect her late parent was simply a “loyal daughter who was ensuring whatever fate that her father had befallen, she wasn’t going to let light in on the darkness”.
After his death, a report surfaced claiming that £400 million was missing from his own newspaper, The Daily Mirror.
“Ghislaine and Bill just looked very at ease with each other.” After Epstein’s 2008 arrest, her apparent relationship with the Clinton family reportedly began.
Following the 2008 arrest of Epstein—and subsequent leniant plea deal he was offered—Epstein was allowed to return to his office for a typical five-day working week.
But despite this, Maxwell had apparently already removed herself from his wrongdoings, hoping to “rebrand” her image.
According to Hervey, she did this by becoming a regular socialite and attendee around influential figures. Author Barry Levine even admitted that this was when Maxwell reportedly strung up a friendship with the Clinton family.
As per Hervey, Maxwell and Bill Clinton allegedly went out for dinner where they were “very pally” with one another, adding that “Ghislaine and Bill just looked very at ease with each other”.
This particular rumour has been circulating for quite some time, after images of the pair boarding a private plane and Maxwell attending his daughter Chelsea Clinton’s wedding in 2010 surfaced.
You can watch Ghislaine Maxwell: Epstein’s Shadow on Stan here.
