Ghislaine Maxwell thinks she may now have an edge in her case to overturn her prison sentence, according to anonymous sources.
Maxwell, the longtime confidant and right-hand woman of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was handed a 20-year prison term after she was convicted on child sex trafficking charges back in 2021.
But the 61-year-old former British socialite has been buoyed by the death of one of the four victims whose testimony was central to her conviction.
Carolyn Andriano, who was trafficked by Epstein starting when she was only 14 years old, was found dead in a hotel room in West Palm Beach, Florida, on May 23, according to USA Today. Her death was only announced last month.
Andriano reportedly died of an overdose of prescription drugs and fentanyl at 36 years of age. She is survived by her husband and five children.
She is the second Epstein victim to die of a reported drug overdose in West Palm Beach. In 2017, Leigh Skye Patrick, 29, was also found dead in a hotel room of an overdose.
she was brought to meet Epstein by Virginia Giuffre when she was 14.
On December 7, 2021 Carolyn took the stand as a witness in the trial against Ghislaine Maxwell. She said that Maxwell would often send a car for her, since she was too young to drive to Epstein’s house. pic.twitter.com/LPoe40aQBw
— Kirby Sommers (@LandlordLinks) October 15, 2023
How does this help Maxwell? Andriano testified that she was drug-free when she appeared in court back in 2021.
But with her death of an overdose, Maxwell and her attorneys think they can get Andriano’s testimony stricken from the record, presumably by painting her as having been under the influence of drugs or having lied in court about her addiction.
Anonymous sources told the Daily Mail that Maxwell believes Andriano’s death is a boon for her.
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“Carolyn’s death could be hugely significant because if Ghislaine is granted the right to a new trial there will be a huge legal argument about whether Carolyn’s previous testimony is admissible. This has significantly boosted Ghislaine’s chances of gaining her freedom,” a source told the Mail.
“It’s significant because at least one of the jurors said her testimony convinced them to convict Ghislaine,” the source said.
Maxwell’s attorneys will seek to capitalize on Andriano’s death when her appeal goes to court, perhaps as soon as December, according to the Mail.
“There is no doubt Carolyn had a tragic life. She was abused by Epstein and other men. Her drug use could become a huge issue. She claimed to be sober when she gave evidence,” the source added.
Andriano initially testified anonymously, but after Maxwell’s conviction, Andriano gave an interview to the Mail, thereby waiving her anonymity.
“I’m not ashamed at being a victim of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell,” Andriano said in the 2022 interview.
“For other girls that have been victimized, I want them to know that it is OK to come out and tell somebody — even if you don’t want to be identified — and the sooner the better.”
