Wednesday 29 June 2022 02:12 AM Legal expert says Ghislaine Maxwell is unlikely to ever spill Epstein's secrets trends now
A former federal prosecutor has said that Ghislaine Maxwell is unlikely to ever divulge what she knows about Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking scheme, after she was sentenced to 20 years in prison for helping the late financier abuse underage girls.
Maxwell, who was handed the stiff sentence on Tuesday in Manhattan federal court, has long been accused of knowing sordid details about Epstein and his potential co-conspirators, but has showed no signs of cooperating with federal investigators.
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor who is now a litigator in Los Angeles, believes that Maxwell's actions and decisions to date suggest that she will never cooperate against Epstein's potential co-conspirators.
'She's dug in her heels -- she pushed this case to trial, she made all these women testify, and revictimized them by making them repeat their stories in court,' Rhamani told DailyMail.com in an interview shortly after the sentencing.
'If you wanted the full benefit of cooperation, you wouldn't do any of this,' he added. 'I haven't seen anything that leads me to believe that anyone else is going to be prosecuted in this case.'
A former federal prosecutor has said that Ghislaine Maxwell is unlikely to ever divulge what she knows about Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking scheme
Ghislaine Maxwell delivers her first public statement while addressing Judge Alison Nathan during her sentencing in a courtroom sketch
Epstein, who died behind bars in 2019 in what was ruled a suicide, sexually abused children hundreds of times over more than a decade, exploiting vulnerable girls as young as 14, prosecutors say.
Prosecutors said he couldn't have done so without the help of his longtime companion Maxwell, 60, who was convicted in December of sex trafficking, transporting a minor to participate in illegal sex acts and two conspiracy charges.
Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, believes Maxwell is unlikely to ever divulge what she knows about Epstein's crimes
Following her sentencing on Tuesday, Maxwell's attorney Bobbi Sternheim vowed to appeal, saying that Epstein had left Maxwell 'holding the whole bag.'
Rahmani, who is not connected to the case but spoke as a legal expert, observed that Maxwell's plan to appeal makes it extremely unlikely that she will cooperate with investigators.
'The problem with cooperation is you're essentially waiving your right to appeal,' he said.
'You have to admit to participating in the trafficking and abuse of these young girls for the cooperation to mean anything,' he added. 'She's much more likely to take her chances on appeal.'
Rahmani noted that it is possible for offenders to give evidence against co-conspirators after their sentencing, in exchange for a shot at a reduced sentence -- but it is extremely rare.
'It's not too late, although people who cooperate usually plead guilty. Or once they are convicted and see the writing on the wall, then they cooperate,' he said.
Rahmani said that Maxwell's statement at sentencing -- in which she blamed Epstein and cast herself as another victim -- signaled that she is unlikely to provide evidence to investigators.
Ghislaine Maxwell defense attorney Bobbi Sternheim talks to the media outside the US District Court for the Southern District of New York after the sentencing
The sentencing marks the end of a decades-long fight for justice by victims of Maxwell and Epstein, seen together above in an evidence photo
Maxwell told the court at the sentencing that she empathized with the victims in the case, but refused to admit her guilt and laid blame for the abuse on Epstein, saying meeting him was the 'greatest regret of my life.'
'Her non-apology apology today leads me to believe she is not going to cooperate,' Rahmani said. 'Those aren't statements from someone who is accepting responsibility, who is remorseful, and is going to help the government bring other people to justice.'
'Anything is possible, but Maxwell seems like a total narcissist,' he added. 'She really does believe she's a victim, and she's suffered this grave injustice.'
Prior to their downfall, Epstein and Maxwell traveled in glittering social circles surrounded by the rich and powerful.
Their association with some of the world's most famous people was not a prominent part of Maxwell's trial, but mentions of friends such as Bill Clinton and Donald Trump showed how the pair exploited their connections to impress their victims.
One accuser, Virginia Roberts, claimed that Epstein and Maxwell had also pressured her into sexual trysts with other powerful men when she was 17, including Britain's Prince Andrew.
All of those men denied the allegations, and Giuffre ultimately
