Ghislaine Maxwell is seeking millions of dollars to cover legal fees, security costs, and other expenses that she claims have been born out of her relationship with Epstein.
Convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell is being forced to represent herself in her ongoing legal dispute with the estate of Jeffrey Epstein.
The incarcerated sex offender writes that she is unable to find a lawyer willing to represent her at this time and will be appearing pro se until she does, in a response to status hearing filed in the Virgin Islands and obtained by Inside Edition Digital.
This filing comes a few weeks after the estate of Jeffrey Epstein asked the judge to dismiss Maxwell's case, in which she is seeking millions of dollars to cover legal fees, security costs, and other expenses that she claims have been born out of her relationship with Epstein.
"Plaintiff is seeking New Counsel as she is aware it is preferable for all parties to be represented for efficiency and for judicial economy," writes Maxwell in her response to the judge. "Plaintiff faces challenges finding New Counsel as many potential candidates are conflicted and Plaintiff is facing financial constraints."
Maxwell goes on to write that she is also facing a number of hurdles because of her incarceration.
"All incarcerated people have communication challenges as Plaintiff does," writes Maxwell. "Her situation is not unique but for the courts [sic] consideration it bears noting that Plaintiff has no ability to write snail mail, E mail, or call any potential new attorney with client-attorney privilege."
Lawyers for the estate and executors Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn noted in their motion seeking to dismiss the proceeding that Maxwell has not had legal representation in the case since September of last year, when her counsel announced that they would be stepping down. At the time, Maxwell's departing attorney said that their convicted sex offender client owed them $878,302.66 in unpaid fees.
Court filings show that Maxwell, 61, had twice been instructed to retain new counsel, and on both occasions she seemingly did not comply with the court's request.
Due to these circumstances, the estate asked the judge to dismiss the proceedings over what they allege was Maxwell's failure to prosecute.
"Maxwell’s counsel withdrew from his representation over one year ago, and since that time, this case has lain dormant. Though the Court has granted her ample time to find new counsel and ordered her to do so, Maxwell has not done so," the Epstein estate's motion reads. "Additionally, to the extent Maxwell is unable to retain new counsel, nothing precludes her from litigating her claims pro se, but she has thus far declined to do so. Accordingly, the Court should dismiss Maxwell’s Complaint."
It is possible however that Maxwell did respond in due time, sending this response to the court back in May per time stamps. The response may have mistakenly been filed in Supreme Court rather than Superior Court, which is why it is only now coming to light.
Maxwell is asking for more time to bring herself up to date on both the details of the case and general court procedure so she will be better equipped to represent herself in court.
She is also asking that the case be stayed until the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rules on her motion seeking to dismiss her conviction on federal charges including sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
In her filing, Maxwell says that she is appealing that conviction because of "errors made by both of the government and the trial court, several of which are fatal and which would result in the dismissal of the criminal proceedings."
She goes to include her arguments for overturning her conviction.
- "All counts should be dismissed pursuant to the Non-Prosecution agreement."
- "All counts are barred by statue of limitations."
- "Plaintiff was denied her constitutional right to a fair and impartial jury because a juror made false statements in voir dire as to material facts that if known would have provided valid basis to remove him for cause."
- "The court constructively amended counts three & four of the indictment."
Maxwell writes that the court's ruling on this appeal would impact some of the arguments made by the defendant as she would no longer be a convicted criminal, and therefore requests a stay in the proceedings for "judicial economy."
The judge has not yet ruled on either the defense motion to dismiss or Maxwell's motion to appear pro se.
It has been nearly four years since Maxwell filed her lawsuit, requesting that Epstein's estate cover her "attorneys' fees, security costs, costs to find safe accommodation and all other expenses Maxwell has reasonably incurred and will incur by reason of her prior employment relationship with Jeffrey E Epstein."
Records show that Maxwell filed her lawsuit around the same time she purchased the New Hampshire hideaway where U.S. Marshals finally tracked her down in
"Maxwell receives regular threats to her life and safety, which have required her to hire personal security services and find safe accommodation," the lawsuit alleges.
"In approximately 2004, Maxwell received a typewritten letter from Epstein with a handwritten note asking Maxwell to remain in Epstein’s employ and promising that no matter what Maxwell chose to do, Epstein would always support Maxwell financially," the lawsuit claims.
In her new filing, Maxwell includes a lawsuit filed against herself and Epstein by the artist Nelson Shanks in 2002, and claims that Epstein covered all her expenses during that legal proceeding.
Maxwell said in her initial court filing that the lawsuits against her began to pile up after Epstein agreed to his now infamous "sweetheart" plea deal in 2008, a non-prosecution agreement that protected Epstein from ever facing federal charges in exchange for a guilty plea to state charges of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution.
This federally brokered deal allowed Epstein to serve just 13 months of an 18-month sentence, but also required that he settle any civil suits filed against him by the approximately 40 underage victims who spoke with police.
"Maxwell has incurred and will continue to incur significant legal fees, personal security costs, and other costs in connection with legal suits, proceedings and investigations relating to Epstein, his affiliated businesses, and his alleged victims," the lawsuit says.
The sex-trafficking media scion, who is the youngest child of disgraced British press baron Robert Maxwell, says she filed her suit when the estate failed to respond to an invoice requesting money.
Her overhead and security costs are now considerably lower as she is under constant surveillance as a member of the prison population at FCI Tallahassee, where she will not be eligible for parole until 2037.
Lawyers for Epstein's estate did not respond to a request for comment.
