Following six days of deliberations, Ghislaine Maxwell was found guilty Wednesday on all but one count in a sex trafficking trial that has gripped the nation.
The 60-year-old former companion of disgraced financier, and alleged rapist and pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, was convicted of conspiring with him for over a decade to recruit, groom and sexually abuse underage girls by a federal jury in Manhattan.
Maxwell, who has been held without bail since her arrest in July 2020, faced six counts related to her role in aiding Epstein in his sexual abuse of underage girls between 1994 and 2004.
The jury, comprised of six men and six women, found her guilty of conspiracy to entice a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors and sex trafficking of minors.
Maxwell, who was not found guilty of enticing a minor to travel across state lines to engage in illegal sex acts, faces up to 65 years in prison for her crimes.
"A unanimous jury has found Ghislaine Maxwell guilty of one of the worst crimes imaginable -- facilitating and participating in the sexual abuse of children," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement following the verdict. "I want to commend the bravery of the girls -- now grown women -- who stepped out of the shadows and into the courtroom. Their courage and willingness to face their abuser made this case, and today's result, possible."
"This Office will always stand with victims, will always follow the facts wherever they lead, and will always fight to ensure that no one, no matter how powerful and well connected, is above the law," Williams added.
Maxwell, the daughter of a British media mogul, plead not guilty to all the charges but could not escape the specter of her former companion, Epstein (66), who was found hanged in a jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide by the New York City medical examiner.
Her defense team tried to separate her image from that of Epstein. They argued that the government’s case was based on flimsy evidence, and pointed to money as the motivation for the women that came forward to accuse her.
The prosecutors unfurled reams of evidence that the two were life partners for many decades and that Maxwell was active and took the lead in decisions related to the trafficking of women.
“Ms. Maxwell was a sophisticated predator who knew exactly what she was doing,” a prosecutor, Alison Moe, told the jury in closing arguments Monday. “She manipulated her victims and groomed them for sexual abuse.”
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Ghislaine Maxwell Found Guilty of All But One Charge in Sex Trafficking Case
Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Dr. Dre and Ex-Wife Nicole Young Reach $100 Million Divorce Settlement
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| Instagram @therealbreyonprescott |
With the holidays upon us in full force and Omicron causing a new wave of Covid concerns and cancellations, it’s no surprise that some of us might have forgotten about Dr. Dre — more specifically his ongoing divorce battle with Nicole Young.
The couple, married for 24 years before Nicole filed for divorce in 2020, citing irreconcilable differences, were declared legally single in June of this year after filing legal paperwork that terminated marital or domestic partnership status between them.
Now, according to reporting from TMZ the 56-year-old music mogul and his ex (51), have finalized the rest of the divorce with a settlement that will give her less than 1/5 of his estimated $820 million dollar fortune.
Thanks in part to a prenuptial agreement, which Nicole contested, Dre will pay Young just $100 million split into two payments, one now and another a year from now. While the sum is significant, things could have gone much worse for the artist.
Young was allowed to retain all the money in her personal accounts accrued and jewelry she received while married to Dre but loses the right to spousal support and must pay the millions in legal bills she piled up fighting the prenuptial agreement. The couple’s kids, son Truice (24) and daughter Truly (20), are adults.
The ruling is seen by many as a victory for the music producer, but it may hurt him more financially than initially thought according to reporting from Rolling Stone. He filed paperwork in Nov. during divorce proceedings that placed his net worth at $458.2 million, with $182.7 million in cash; another $6.3 million in stocks, and $269.2 million in property and assets, including intellectual property. Much of his estimated wealth comes from his stake in Beats Electronics, which Apple bought for $3 billion in 2014. His stake was worth $800 million at the time, and. It is unclear what accounts for the discrepancy.
The couple, married for 24 years before Nicole filed for divorce in 2020, citing irreconcilable differences, were declared legally single in June of this year after filing legal paperwork that terminated marital or domestic partnership status between them.
Now, according to reporting from TMZ the 56-year-old music mogul and his ex (51), have finalized the rest of the divorce with a settlement that will give her less than 1/5 of his estimated $820 million dollar fortune.
Thanks in part to a prenuptial agreement, which Nicole contested, Dre will pay Young just $100 million split into two payments, one now and another a year from now. While the sum is significant, things could have gone much worse for the artist.
Young originally filed for half of everything, but her attempts to overturn the prenuptial agreement outright proved futile in the end. The couple will split a fleet of 10 cars, with Dre getting six and Nicole receiving four. Dre retained much of their property — including a Malibu home; two homes in Calabasas, and four properties in the L.A. area, including their $100 million Brentwood estate, and most importantly, he keeps the full rights to his master recordings, trademarks, and interests in various partnerships and trusts.Dr. Dre and ex-wife Nicole Young reached a massive divorce settlement Tuesday that will see Young walk away from their 24-year marriage with $100 million https://t.co/7nWtmf7sL4
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) December 28, 2021
Young was allowed to retain all the money in her personal accounts accrued and jewelry she received while married to Dre but loses the right to spousal support and must pay the millions in legal bills she piled up fighting the prenuptial agreement. The couple’s kids, son Truice (24) and daughter Truly (20), are adults.
The ruling is seen by many as a victory for the music producer, but it may hurt him more financially than initially thought according to reporting from Rolling Stone. He filed paperwork in Nov. during divorce proceedings that placed his net worth at $458.2 million, with $182.7 million in cash; another $6.3 million in stocks, and $269.2 million in property and assets, including intellectual property. Much of his estimated wealth comes from his stake in Beats Electronics, which Apple bought for $3 billion in 2014. His stake was worth $800 million at the time, and. It is unclear what accounts for the discrepancy.
Monday, December 27, 2021
Motown Legend Wanda Young Dead at 78
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| Courtesy Motown Museum |
Over the weekend, Wanda Young, one of the lead singers of Motown girl group The Marvelettes, which found chart-topping success with their infectious brand of doo-wop in the 1960s, was confirmed to have died at the age of 78 earlier this year.
Young’s daughter, Meta Ventress, confirmed to The New York Times in a story published Saturday that her mother died on Dec. 15, in suburban Detroit from complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Young, who also recorded as Wanda Rogers after marrying fellow Motown alum, The Miracles Bobby Rogers in 1963, was an early replacement member for the group originally named The Casinyets, replacing founding member Georgia Dobbins shortly before the group signed its first deal with Motown.
Young remained the lead singer until the group disbanded in 1970, singing on such classics as the million-seller “Don’t Mess With Bill,” "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game", "When You're Young and in Love," and "My Baby Must Be a Magician.”
Ventress told the Times her mother, who released a solo album produced by Smokey Robinson in 1970 that was billed as “The Return of The Marvelettes,” despite other group members not participating, didn’t wake up every day thinking of The Marvelettes. But she never lost that glamour.
“I told her constantly, ‘All these people love you,’” Ventress said. “And she’d say, ‘Wow.’”
The album flopped and Young left the label and lived off royalties, for the most part, making brief returns to performing in the 80s and 90s.
Founded by 15-year-old Horton in the fall of 1960 with fellow members of her high school glee club at Inkster Michigan’s eponymously named high school, The Marvelettes had a string of hits with Motown after being signed by Motown chief Berry Gordy.
Their signature song and first major release for the label, the 1961 number-one single, "Please Mr. Postman,” was one of the first number-one singles recorded by an all-female vocal group. The Marvelettes have been nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice. On August 17, 2013, The Marvelettes were inducted into the first class of the Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame.
Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart, and Dobbins round out the original lineup for the group.
Along with Ventress, Young is survived by her other children, Robert Rogers III and Bobbae Rogers; seven grandchildren; a great-grandson; four sisters and four brothers.
Ventress told the Times her mother, who released a solo album produced by Smokey Robinson in 1970 that was billed as “The Return of The Marvelettes,” despite other group members not participating, didn’t wake up every day thinking of The Marvelettes. But she never lost that glamour.
“I told her constantly, ‘All these people love you,’” Ventress said. “And she’d say, ‘Wow.’”
The album flopped and Young left the label and lived off royalties, for the most part, making brief returns to performing in the 80s and 90s.
Founded by 15-year-old Horton in the fall of 1960 with fellow members of her high school glee club at Inkster Michigan’s eponymously named high school, The Marvelettes had a string of hits with Motown after being signed by Motown chief Berry Gordy.
Their signature song and first major release for the label, the 1961 number-one single, "Please Mr. Postman,” was one of the first number-one singles recorded by an all-female vocal group. The Marvelettes have been nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice. On August 17, 2013, The Marvelettes were inducted into the first class of the Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame.
Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart, and Dobbins round out the original lineup for the group.
Along with Ventress, Young is survived by her other children, Robert Rogers III and Bobbae Rogers; seven grandchildren; a great-grandson; four sisters and four brothers.
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