Ghislaine Maxwell: Jeffrey Epstein’s accused madame seen with black eye in court photo

An unseen photo of Jeffrey Epstein’s accused madame, Ghislaine Maxwell, has been revealed in a court filing amid claims she’s being kept in harsh conditions.

Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyer has released a photo of her with a black eye, as her legal team claims she being kept in worse conditions than other inmates.
It’s the first photo seen of Ms Maxwell — the accused madame of billionaire paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein — from behind bars since her arrest last year.

Ms Maxwell’s lawyer, Bobbi Sternheim, who tendered the photo in a court filing on Thursday (local time), said her client was unsure how she acquired the bruising.

She speculated it could have been caused by Ms Maxwell using a sock or towel to shield her eyes during night-time checks, which she is subjected to every 15 minutes to ensure she has not committed suicide.

Ghislaine Maxwell seen with a black eye in her first photo behind bars since her arrest last year. Picture: Bobbi Sternheim

“No guard addressed the bruise until Ms. Maxwell, who has no mirror, caught a reflection of her aching eye in the glean of a nail clipper,” Ms Sternheim wrote in the filing.

“At that point, MDC (Metropolitan Detention Centre) staff confronted Ms. Maxwell regarding the source of the bruise, threatening to place her in the SHU (Secure Housing Unit) if she did not reveal how she got it’ - the SHU is the most restrictive part of the prison.”

She said Ms Maxwell, who is awaiting trial on charges she procured girls for Epstein to sexually abuse, was shying away from reporting information to prison guards “for fear of retaliation, discipline, and punitive chores.”

Ghislaine Maxwell (L) and Jeffrey Epstein (R). Picture: AFP

Ms Maxwell has repeatedly complained of filthy conditions at the MDC in Brooklyn where she is being held, and her lawyers recently said it was due to the “Epstein effect”.

“She’s not suicidal. She shouldn’t be treated like this,” said one of her attorneys, David Markus.

“It’s only because of the horrible Epstein effect,” he added.

Ms Maxwell appeared in court earlier this week where she was again denied bail.

The court considers Ms Maxwell, who has US, British and French passports, a flight risk. This is the fourth time since her arrest that she has been denied bail.

In a brief ruling, the court reaffirmed the continued incarceration of Maxwell, who has been behind bars in New York since July 2020.

She faces six counts, including sex trafficking conspiracy and sex trafficking of a minor.

Ms Maxwell denies all the allegations against her. A not guilty plea was entered on her behalf by her lawyer.

Her trial is due to begin on July 12, although her defense team is pushing for more time to prepare.

Ms Maxwell faces an effective life sentence if convicted.

Epstein killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial.