To many, the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell set a precedent.
It meant that even the elite can be held to account for their crimes.
Now, it appears that eight more men possibly involved in the crimes of convicted sex offender and accused child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein will be held to account.
On Dec. 29, Maxwell was convicted on various sex trafficking charges related to her involvement in her longtime companion’s crimes.
A wealthy financier with ties to various politicians and celebrities, Epstein died in a federal prison in New York in August 2019.
The New York Post reported Saturday that Maxwell’s attorney had sent a letter to federal Judge Loretta Preska saying the convicted sex trafficker would no longer be protecting the identities of eight “John Does” in a lawsuit brought against Britain’s Prince Andrew by Virginia Giuffre.
“After careful review of the detailed objections submitted by Non-Party Does 17, 53, 54, 55, 73, 93, and 151, counsel for Ghislaine Maxwell writes to inform the Court that she does not wish to further address those objections,” read the letter from Maxwell attorney Laura Menninger, dated Jan. 12.
“Each of the listed Does has counsel who have ably asserted their own respective privacy rights. Ms. Maxwell therefore leaves it to this Court to conduct the appropriate review.”
According to WLS-TV, Giuffre’s lawsuit suggests “the men were involved in Epstein’s sexual abuse of minor girls between 1994 and 2004.”
On the same day the letter was written, a Manhattan federal judge refused to dismiss the 38-year-old woman’s case against Andrew, the Post reported.
Giuffre alleges that Epstein and Maxwell made her have sex with the British royal three times, starting when she was just 17.
He has denied the allegations.
On Thursday, however, Queen Elizabeth II chose to strip Andrew of his royal titles.
“With the Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military and Royal patronages have been returned to the Queen. The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending the case as a private citizen,” Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
Given the number of high-profile individuals who have ties to Epstein, there’s no telling how prominent the soon-to-be-named John Doe accomplices of Maxwell might be.
Regardless, this is great news that we should all be celebrating right now.
Let us hope that many more women and girls will soon see their victimizers face justice.