Federal prosecutors must divulge the “identities of any unnamed co-conspirators” that they plan on referencing at Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial in Manhattan, a judge ruled Friday.
The order was to ensure Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged madam is able to “adequately prepare her defenses,” Judge Allison Nathan wrote.
Prosecutors must also “disclose all co-conspirator statements it intends to offer at trial,” Nathan ruled, arguing the government’s claim that the revelation would cause ‘potential danger to co-conspirators’ or risk ‘compromising continuing investigations,’” was bogus.
“The Government provides no explanation for this purported harm and none is apparent to the Court,” Nathan wrote. “Thus, the Court finds that this concern alone does not outweigh the risk of surprise to the Defendant in this case or the need for the parties to litigate co-conspirator issues in advance of trial to ensure the absence of delay.”
Maxwell, 59, had requested that prosecutors name the two co-conspirators described in their indictment to avoid being ambushed at her trial, which is set to begin on Nov. 29.
The British socialite, who has been held without bail since her arrest in July of last year, is accused of procuring underage girls for multi-millionaire Epstein to abuse in the 1990s and early 2000s. She’s pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Maxwell is also facing separate perjury charges related to allegedly lying in a deposition in a civil case filed by Virginia Giuffre, who has accused Epstein pal Prince Andrew of sexual abuse.
Epstein was previously arrested and charged with sex crimes by the same prosecutor’s office as Maxwell, but killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell before he stood trial.
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