United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell

United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell, 20 Cr. 330 (AJN) 

If you believe you were a victim of Ghislaine Maxwell or have information about the allegations in the Indictment, please call 1-800-Call-FBI.

June 21, 2022 update:

On June 21, 2022, the Court issued an Order regarding victim statements at the June 28, 2022 sentencing, which will take place at 11 a.m. in courtroom 318. Pursuant to the Order:

Any victim seeking to make a statement at sentencing shall contact the Victim Witness Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office:

               Wendy Olsen, Victim Witness Unit

               United States Attorney’s Office

               (212) 637-1028

               Wendy.Olsen@usdoj.gov

A victim seeking to make a statement must submit a written statement by email to the Victim Witness Unit by noon on Thursday, June 23, 2022.  In addition to submitting the written statement, the submission must note whether the victim intends to make an oral statement at sentencing and provide a basis for entitlement to make a statement under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, 18 U.S.C. 3771.  Statements that do not conform to this process will not be permitted.

November 29, 2021 update:

Victim Attendance at Trial.  In orders dated October 14 and November 24, 2021, the S.D.N.Y. Court outlined procedures for public access to the trial in this matter. (Trial began on November 29, 2021, with jury selection.) Specifically, consistent with the District’s COVID-19 protocols, the Court will ensure public access (with COVID-19 distancing) to the trial in the courtroom itself and in several overflow rooms at the courthouse with live feeds of the proceedings. Beyond the live feeds within the courthouse, the trial will not be further broadcast; nor will there be any telephonic dial-in to the proceedings. Victim access will be coordinated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim-Witness Coordinator, Wendy Olsen (212-637-1028, Wendy.Olsen@usdoj.gov), and Mr. Joseph Pecorino of the Court’s District Executive Office (212-805-0504, Joseph_Pecorino@nysd.uscourts.gov). Victims who wish to attend the trial may contact either one of those persons for further information.

COVID-19 Protocols. Per the S.D.N.Y. Response to COVID-19, anyone who appears at any S.D.N.Y. courthouse must complete a questionnaire on the date of the proceeding prior to entering the courthouse. All visitors must also have their temperature taken when they arrive at the courthouse. Only persons who meet the entry requirements established by the questionnaire and whose temperatures are below 100.4 degrees will be allowed to enter the courthouse. All visitors must wear a mask that covers the person’s nose and mouth. Bandannas, gaiters, and masks with valves are not permitted. If a person does not have an approved mask, a screener will provide one. Anyone who fails to comply with the COVID-19 protocols that have been adopted by the Court will be required to leave the courthouse. There are no exceptions. For more information, please see https://www.nysd.uscourts.gov/covid-19-coronavirus

October 20, 2021 update:

The Court will hold a telephone conference to discuss jury selection matters on October 21, 2021 at 12:00 p.m.  Members of the press and the public in the United States may access the live audio feed of the proceeding by calling 844-721-7237 and using access code 9991787.  Those outside of the United States may access the live audio feed by calling 409-207-6951 and using the same access code.  Any photographing, recording, or rebroadcasting of federal court proceedings is prohibited by law.  Violation of these prohibitions may result in fines or sanctions, including monetary fines, restricted entry to future hearings, denial of entry to future hearings, or any other sanctions deemed necessary by the Court.

August 30, 2021 updates:

A jury trial in this case has been scheduled to commence on November 29, 2021.  When available, public access information will be provided in a further update.

The Court has also ordered both parties to appear for a telephone conference to discuss jury selection matters on October 21, 2021 at 12:00 P.M. Dial-in information for the parties and for public access will be provided when it is available.

The Court further ordered both parties to appear for an in-person pretrial conference on November 1, 2021 at 11:00 A.M.

July 21, 2021 update:

On April 16, 2021, the Court ordered the perjury counts (Counts Eight and Nine) from the superseding indictment [S2 20 Cr. 330 (AJN)] to be severed from the remaining counts (Counts One through Six) for a separate jury trial.  

On May 3, 2021, the Court adjourned the defendant’s jury trial for Counts One through Six of the superseding indictment until fall 2021.  That trial is currently scheduled to begin on November 29, 2021.  No trial date has been scheduled for Counts Eight and Nine.

April 20, 2021 update:

On March 29, 2021, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment.  The Court has scheduled an arraignment for April 23, 2021 at 2:30 p.m., in Courtroom 24B at 500 Pearl Street. Members of the public may call into the public teleconference line by dialing 844-291-6362 and entering access code 2921822. This phone line can accommodate approximately 4,000 callers on a first come, first serve basis. Any photographing, recording, or rebroadcasting of federal court proceedings is prohibited by law.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has scheduled oral argument for April 26, 2021 at 10 a.m., to address the defendant’s appeal of the District Court’s order denying bail.

October 12, 2020 update:

On Tuesday, October 13, 2020 at 2 p.m., the Second Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral argument regarding Ghislaine Maxwell's motion to consolidate her appeal of Judge Nathan's order denying Maxwell's motion to modify the protective order in the criminal case with the appeal of an unsealing order in a separate civil case.

The public can listen to the argument at the following webaddress: https://ww2.ca2.uscourts.gov/court.html

August 24, 2020 update:

The next conference in this case is scheduled for Monday, August 31, 2020, at 1:00 p.m., before the Honorable Analisa Torres, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York.  This proceeding will occur as a remote video conference.  A live audio feed of this proceeding will be available for members of the public.  The public may access the audio feed of the conference by calling (888) 398-2342 or (215) 861-0674 and entering access code 5598827.  Individuals who wish to listen to the audio feed are encouraged to dial into the conference early, to ensure access to the line.

Any photographing, recording, or rebroadcasting of federal court proceedings is prohibited by law. Violation of these prohibitions may result in fines or sanctions, including removal of court issued media credentials, restricted entry to future hearings, denial of entry to future hearings, or any other sanctions deemed necessary by the Court. 

July 17, 2020 update:

On July 14, 2020, an arraignment, initial conference, and bail hearing was held in the case of United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell, 20 Cr. 330 (AJN).  The defendant entered a plea of not guilty to the Superseding Indictment.  The court announced its ruling that the defendant will be incarcerated pending trial.  The Court scheduled discovery and motion deadlines for counsel as well as a trial date of July 12, 2021, before the Honorable Alison J. Nathan, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, 4o Foley Square, New York, New York, in Courtroom 906.  No next conference was scheduled at this appearance.

July 9, 2020 Update:

The Court will hold an arraignment, initial conference, and bail hearing in this matter remotely as a video/teleconference on July 14, 2020, at 1:00 pm.  Members of the press and the public in the United States may access the live audio feed of the proceeding by calling 855-268-7844 and using access code 32091812# and PIN 9921299#.

Those outside of the United States may access the live audio feed by calling 214-416-0400 and using the same access code and PIN.  These phone lines can accommodate approximately 500 callers on a first come, first serve basis.

The Court will provide counsel for both sides an additional dial-in number to be used to ensure audio access to the proceeding for non-speaking co-counsel, alleged victims, and any family members of the Defendant. The United States Attorney’s Office should email Chambers with information regarding any alleged victims who are entitled, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §3771(a)(4), to be heard at the bail hearing and who wish to be heard. The Court will then provide information as to the logistics for their dial-in access.

As the Court described in a previous order, members of the press and public may watch and listen to the live video feed in the Jury Assembly Room, at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse, 500 Pearl Street. See Dkt. No. 10. However, in light of COVID-19, seating will be limited to approximately 60 seats in order to enable appropriate social distancing and ensure public safety. Counsel for the Defendant and the Government may contact Chambers by email if there is a request to accommodate alleged victims or family members of the Defendant.

Members of the credentialed in-house press corps may contact the District Executive’s Office about seating. Otherwise, all seating will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis and in accordance with the S.D.N.Y. COVID-19 Courthouse Entry Program and this Court’s previous order of July 7, 2020. See Dkt. No. 10. If conditions change or the Court otherwise concludes that allowing for in-person viewing of the video feed at the courthouse is not consistent with public health, the Court may provide audio access by telephone only.

Any photographing, recording, or rebroadcasting of federal court proceedings is prohibited by law. Violation of these prohibitions may result in fines or sanctions, including removal of court issued media credentials, restricted entry to future hearings, denial of entry to future hearings, or any other sanctions deemed necessary by the Court. 

July 8, 2020 Update:

On July 2, 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office announced the unsealing of federal felony charges against GHISLAINE MAXWELL on charges of enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sex acts, transportation of a minor to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy, and perjury.  These crimes are alleged to have occurred in locations including, but not limited to, New York, Florida, New Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

The next conference, which will include an arraignment and bail hearing, is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, 2020, at 1:00 p.m., before the Honorable Alison J. Nathan, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York.  This proceeding will occur as a remote video / teleconference using an internet platform.  A live video feed of this proceeding will be available for members of the public in the Jury Assembly Room, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007.  Please note that there will be limited seating available for the live feed.  Members of the public may also access an audio feed of the proceeding by calling a dial-in number, which the Court will provide in advance of the proceeding.

Pursuant to the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, Title 18, United States Code, Section 3771(a)(4), a crime victim has the right to be reasonably heard at certain public proceedings in the district court, including proceedings involving release.  If you believe you are a victim in connection with this case, and would like to be heard in connection with the hearing scheduled for July 14, 2020, please contact Wendy Olsen, Victim / Witness Coordinator, at the telephone number or email address listed below.

If you believe you are a victim of GHISLAINE MAXWELL, from during any time period and in any location, please contact the Victim / Witness specialists at the U.S. Attorney’s Office listed below.

The charges are contained in Indictment 20 Cr. 330 (AJN).  You may view a copy of the Indictment here.

Updates regarding the progress of this case will be posted on this site.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is committed to protecting the rights of crime victims. If you believe you are a victim of the offense charged, our Victim/Witness Unit can make sure that you are notified of important stages of the case to help you exercise your rights. In addition, our Victim/Witness Unit can help refer you to agencies that provide other services to witnesses, such as compensation (under certain circumstances) and counseling. If you believe you are a victim, of if you would like information or assistance with referrals, please contact:

Wendy Olsen Clancy
Victim/Witness Coordinator
United States Attorney’s Office
One St. Andrew’s Plaza
New York, New York 10007
(866) 874-8900
Wendy.Olsen@usdoj.gov