Federal prosecutors moved in September 2020 to halt a civil lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, arguing that the case could interfere with her pending criminal trial. They warned that continuing the civil proceedings might force Maxwell to make disclosures that could compromise her Fifth Amendment rights, or expose evidence and testimony that overlapped with the criminal investigation. The judge agreed, ruling that the civil case would be put on hold to ensure the integrity of the broader prosecution.

The lawsuit, filed by a woman who alleged she was groomed and abused as a minor, sought to hold Maxwell and Epstein’s estate accountable. While the judge acknowledged that delaying a survivor’s pursuit of justice carried weight, the court determined that protecting the fairness of the criminal case against Maxwell had to take priority. The pause meant the civil action would resume only after the conclusion of Maxwell’s criminal trial.


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Source:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/feds-seek-halt-civil-lawsuit-ghislaine-maxwell/story?id=72929281