Ghislaine Maxwell found guilty of five sex trafficking charges

The prosecution said Maxwell 'recruited underage girls' for Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse

Ghislaine Maxwell is facing the prospect of spending decades in prison after she was found guilty of five sex trafficking charges on Wednesday. The trial of the ex-girlfriend of billionaire Jeffrey Epstein started on 29 November in New York. The jury's deliberation lasted six days. The prosecution said Maxwell "recruited underage girls" for Epstein to sexually abuse. Maxwell is also facing two perjury charges, which will be tried separately. Four accusers testified in the trial, one of whom, Annie Farmer, waived her right to anonymity. Farmer claimed she was flown to Epstein's ranch in New Mexico under the false impression that the trip was part of a scholarship programme with other students, only to find herself there alone with Epstein and Maxwell. Another witness, who took the stand using only her first name Carolyn, cried as she recalled being sexually abused by Epstein at the age of 14.