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Ghislaine Maxwell's Family Complain About Jail Conditions As She Awaits Epstein Trafficking Trial

Ghislaine Maxwell's Family Complain About Jail Conditions As She Awaits Epstein Trafficking Trial

Ghislaine Maxwell's brother, Ian, said she is losing her hair as a result of the stressful conditions she is living under.

Joanna Freedman

Joanna Freedman

Ghislaine Maxwell's family have complained about the conditions she is living under in jail, as she awaits trial for her role in Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking crimes.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Ghislaine's brother, Ian Maxwell, said that his sister was losing hair and her eyesight was failing in jail while awaiting trial, which is set to begin in July.

The 59-year-old has been in custody since last July, after being charged with helping Jeffrey Epstein to recruit and groom underage women - something she denies any involvement with, despite multiple survivor testimonies.

Twice, a US judge declined to release Ghislaine on bail, citing that she was a flight risk.

However, her brother said she would not try to escape if she was granted a third bail attempt.

Ian added that his sister "remained resolute" but said the conditions were distressing for her, alleging she was being served "brown" water, to drink, "inedible" food and living in "grotesque" conditions with 24 hour monitoring.

"Ghislaine has been in prison now for nearly 250 days and counting," he said. "She is in effective isolation in a cell that measures 6ft by 9ft and which includes a concrete bed and a toilet.

"There is no natural light. She is under 24-hour, round-the-clock surveillance with ten cameras including one that moves and tracks her movements. That is her existence.

Ghislaine Maxwell's brother Ian spoke on the BBC radio show (
BBC Radio 4)

"The water that is provided through the prison is brown and the food that she's given is very highly microwaved and basically inedible".

Ian Maxwell added that the jail - Metropolitan Detention Centerin Brooklyn - was not what you would expect from a "democratic country".

When asked if Prince Andrew could be used in Ghislaine's defence, Ian didn't rule it out, stating that he "assumes" the Duke Of York is still her friend.

"Had she wanted to run away, she could have run away at any point in the year after Epstein died," Ghislaine's brother said.

"But she remained permanently in the United States. This isn't somebody who's seeking to flee. She has attachments here, she has family here, she has an entire life built by her for 30 years here."

Ghislaine Maxwell is currently being held in jail in New York (
PA)

Ghislaine's last bail plea had offered $22.5million (£16,204) in her second bail plea, but judge Alison Nathan wrote: "No conditions of release can reasonably assure the Defendant's appearance at future proceedings".

In her third bail plea, for which she is awaiting a response, Ghislaine has offered to give up her UK and French citizenship to prove she doesn't intend to flee the States.

Featured Image Credit: Netflix

Topics: Jeffrey Epstein, BBC, TV News