Judge takes rare step to help serve elusive Ghislaine Maxwell with lawsuit

A judge has allowed lawyers to make a surprising move to reach the elusive Ghislaine Maxwell about a lawsuit stemming from her relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Jeffrey Epstein crony Ghislaine Maxwell is so impossible to find that a Manhattan judge has taken the rare step of allowing her to be served with a new lawsuit — by email, according to a federal court filing.

Lawyers for Epstein accuser Annie Farmer had griped to federal Judge Debra Freeman that they’ve been trying to find the disgraced British socialite to serve her with the complaint, filed in November, but that she’s done such a good job of hiding that they haven’t been able to get to her, court documents show.

“Plaintiff has attempted to locate and personally serve Maxwell to no avail. Her counsel has conducted extensive public records searches and located various addresses for Maxwell,” Farmer’s lawyers wrote in a January 27 motion imploring Judge Freeman to allow them to serve Maxwell using “alternate” means.

Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Picture: Getty

Granting the motion, Judge Freeman acknowledge that Farmer has “adequately demonstrated that personal service would be impracticable” and ordered Maxwell to be served by email and through her lawyers representing her in a lawsuit involving another key Epstein accuser, Virginia Giuffre.

The New York Post reports that Farmer’s lawyers promptly emailed a copy of the summons and complaint to Maxwell’s email, as well as to the attorneys representing her in the Giuffre case.

“Ms. Maxwell, Please see the below text order granting our motion to approve alternate service on you in Farmer v. Indyke,” reads the email, which was filed to the court as evidence.

If Maxwell’s camp doesn’t respond to the suit by March 6, a default judgment will be placed against her, the judge ruled.

Epstein accusers Annie Farmer (right) and Virginia Roberts Giuffre, with lawyer David Boies. Picture: Getty

Farmer’s lawyers have said they know she’s out there because she’s been “actively participating” in the defamation suit involving Giuffre, which was filed against her in the same court, and is “vigorously fighting” the release of documents in that case, the records state.

Epstein’s mugshot courtesy of the New York State Sex Offender Registry. Picture: via AP

Farmer’s lawyers told The Post that they are elated to finally serve the elusive alleged abuser.

“We just don’t think she should be able to dodge the law,” said one of the lawyers, who asked not to be named.

Farmer’s suit alleges she met Maxwell and Epstein through her older sister, Maria, who’d been hired by the billionaire to purchase art for him.

Epstein began taking an interest in Annie when she was around 16 and eventually invited her to his remote New Mexico ranch, where Maxwell pressured her to get naked and then “touched intimate parts” of Farmer’s body and “groped her” under the guise of a massage, court documents allege.

Ghislaine Maxwell. Picture: AFP

Epstein died in federal lockup in August.

It follows claims that Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell have a “mutual protection pact”, according to a friend who still speaks to her in hiding.

The British socialite, accused of procuring underage girls for billionaire paedophile Epstein, is said to have confided in her friend that she has an agreement with the Queen’s son that they won’t spill the dirt on each other.

Prince Andrew - who has denied allegations he had sex with a teen Virginia Roberts Giuffre - was publicly shamed by US law chief Geoffrey Berman over the Epstein scandal for providing “zero co-operation” with attempts to interview him.

This is despite the Duke of York, 59, insisting in a statement last year that he was “willing to help” in the investigation into his former friend.

Ghislaine Maxwell and Prince Andrew are reported to have made a ‘pact’. Picture: Supplied

The beleaguered Prince, meanwhile, reportedly stayed at the Bahamas mansion of fashion mogul Peter Nygard with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson in 2000.

Nygard, 77, is alleged to have invited ten girls to his lavish estate under the guise that he would help them with their modelling careers.

A lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York claimed that Nygard plied his subjects with alcohol and drugs before they were violently assaulted, raped and sodomised.

Nygard, worth a reported $A2 billion, has strongly denied the allegations, The Sun reports, with a spokesman saying: “The allegations are completely false, without foundation and are vigorously denied.”

There is no suggestion the Prince was aware of Nygard’s alleged activities.