Ghislaine Maxwell victim’s testimony proves Prince Andrew accuser is lying, claims lawyer

A Harvard lawyer suing Prince Andrew’s accuser has claimed that testimony given by her former friend at Ghislaine Maxwell's trial is evidence she is “not a victim”.

In a filing in New York on Tuesday night, Alan Dershowitz said he wanted to depose one of Maxwell’s four accusers, who told a court she was recruited for sexual abuse by Virginia Roberts Giuffre as a teenager.

“Carolyn” testified last month during Maxwell’s three-week federal sex-trafficking trial that she was abused for years by Jeffrey Epstein after she was introduced to the financier in 2002 by Ms Giuffre, who asked if she “wanted to go make money”.

Carolyn, who was 14 at the time and gave evidence under her first name only, said Ms Giuffre, then aged either 17 or 18, brought her to Epstein’s house in Palm Beach, Florida, where the pair were greeted by Maxwell.

She said the girls, who were friends from school, were paid $300 in $100 bills at the end of each encounter.

Ms Giuffre has acknowledged recruiting girls for Epstein, in what has been likened to a pyramid scheme of abuse, claiming she was coerced into doing so by Maxwell.

Carolyn’s testimony could also be seized upon by Prince Andrew’s lawyers as they attempt to discredit Ms Giuffre, who is now 38 and living in Australia.

Ms Giuffre has said that Epstein and Maxwell forced her to have sex with public figures, including Mr Dershowitz and the Duke, when she was 17. She asserted that she had sex with Mr Dershowitz, a longtime criminal defence lawyer known for representing high-profile clients including former President Donald Trump, at least six times in Epstein’s various residences. Both Mr Dershowitz and Prince Andrew deny the allegations.

“Prof Dershowitz seeks to take the deposition of a witness identified by the first name of Carolyn. Knowing Carolyn was underaged, (Ms Giuffre) recruited her to perform sexual massages for Jeffrey Epstein, brought her to Epstein’s home for that purpose, and told her to lie about her age if asked,” his lawyers wrote in a filing to the Southern District of New York.

“Carolyn’s testimony contradicts Plaintiff’s allegations that she was a victim rather than a co-conspirator in Epstein’s sex trafficking operation, and speaks to her reputation as an advocate for sex trafficking victims which she claims Prof. Dershowitz has wrongfully injured.”

Ms Giuffre sued Mr Dershowitz for defamation in 2019. He then countersued Ms Giuffre, claiming she had made false claims about him so that she could extort money from a member of Epstein’s inner circle.

Mr Dershowitz, who previously represented Epstein, helped negotiate a lenient non-prosecution agreement for his client in 2009.

He had claimed the agreement freed both he and Prince Andrew from lawsuits filed by Epstein’s victims. A judge in Ms Giuffre's civil case against the Duke is set to rule on the issue imminently.

As well as Carolyn, Mr Dershowitz is seeking to depose Ms Giuffre’s husband, ex-boyfriend and father, as well as former employees of Epstein’s residences.

“Prof Dershowitz is also entitled to inquire of these witnesses whether plaintiff ever did or said anything to suggest to them that she was 'a victim of sex trafficking and repeated sexual abuse' as alleged,” his legal team wrote.