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‘Now do the men’: Celebrities react to Ghislaine Maxwell’s 20-year prison sentence

Celebrities, including authors, actors, and politicians, have responded to Ghislaine Maxwell’s 20-year prison sentence for child sex trafficking charges.

The socialite was found guilty on 29 December by a federal jury on five charges, including sex trafficking for the recruitment and grooming of four girls between 1994 and 2004 for sexual encounters with her former boyfriend and “partner in crime” Jeffrey Epstein.

In handing down the sentence in Manhattan Federal Court on Tuesday (28 June), Judge Alison Nathan called Maxwell’s conduct “heinous and predatory” and dismissed the assertion that she cannot afford fines.

Many celebrities celebrated the news on Twitter. However, some argued that 20 years wasn’t nearly a harsh enough punishment.

“Now do the men,” Monica Lewinsky commented, referring to the other alleged sex trafficking ring participants.

Piers Morgan wrote: “Who were Ghislaine Maxwell's rich, powerful & (sometimes) famous clients? We should be told. It wasn't just her & Epstein engaged in this criminal sexual conduct. We need names.”

Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein (US Dept of Justice) (PA Media)
Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein (US Dept of Justice) (PA Media)

“Ghislaine Maxwell sentenced to 20 years in prison for helping Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse teen girls. I hope she rots in hell. Also I want names.…allll the other names. Dems or Repubs……all of them,” comedian Dana Goldberg added.

“If Ghislaine Maxwell is guilty of child sex trafficking, there's a list of her clients who participated in this proven trafficking...MAKE THEIR NAMES PUBLIC AND ARREST THEM ALL.

“So Ghislaine Maxwell gets 20 years. Too bad she didn’t just try and overturn an election. She would have gotten no time,” quipped The Kissing Booth 2 director Jay Arnold.

A shackled Maxwell was joined in court by members of her family as well as several of her victims, who delivered impact statements before the sentence was read.

Maxwell also addressed the court, saying that meeting Epstein was “the biggest regret of my life” and telling victims: “I hope my conviction and harsh incarceration brings you peace and finality.”

In addition to 20 years in prison, Ghislaine was fined $750,000 (£615,000). Federal prosecutors had sought a 30-55 year sentence for Maxwell, while her defence requested no more than five and a quarter.