TRIAL TESTIMONY — FBI SPECIAL AGENT KELLY MAGUIRE USA v. Maxwell — December 13, 2021 Case No. 20-cr-330, S.D.N.Y.
FBI Special Agent Kelly Maguire testified as the lead investigative agent in the 2019 federal case against Ghislaine Maxwell. Her testimony provided the jury with a comprehensive overview of the evidence gathered during the investigation and the methods used to build the case against Maxwell.
ASSIGNMENT TO THE CASE: Agent Maguire testified that she was assigned to the Epstein-Maxwell investigation following Epstein's arrest on July 6, 2019, at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. She described the scope of the investigation, which involved a team of FBI agents, analysts, and support personnel working out of the FBI's New York field office. Maguire stated that the investigation expanded significantly after Epstein's death on August 10, 2019, as the focus shifted to Maxwell and other potential co-conspirators.
SEARCH OF EPSTEIN'S MANHATTAN TOWNHOUSE: Agent Maguire testified about the execution of a search warrant at Epstein's townhouse at 9 East 71st Street in Manhattan. She described the discovery of a massive trove of evidence, including compact discs found in a locked safe in Epstein's closet. The discs were labeled with handwritten notations including names of young women. Maguire testified that the search also uncovered massage tables, sex toys, and thousands of photographs, some depicting young women in various states of undress.
DIGITAL EVIDENCE: Maguire presented testimony about the digital evidence recovered during the investigation. This included email communications, phone records, and flight logs that documented the movements of Epstein, Maxwell, and their associates. She testified about records showing Maxwell's direct communications with victims and her coordination of travel arrangements. Maguire described the process of analyzing thousands of electronic communications to establish the timeline and pattern of the conspiracy.
LITTLE BLACK BOOK AND PHONE RECORDS: Agent Maguire testified about Epstein's personal contact book — the so-called "little black book" — which contained names, phone numbers, and addresses of hundreds of individuals, including prominent public figures. She described the process of cross-referencing entries in the book with flight logs, phone records, and victim testimony to establish connections and patterns. Maguire noted that some entries in the book were circled or marked, and that these markings corresponded in some cases to individuals identified as victims or as individuals who had facilitated access to victims.
VICTIM IDENTIFICATION: Maguire testified about the process of identifying and locating victims for the federal case. She described reaching out to individuals who had been identified during the earlier Palm Beach investigation, as well as new victims who came forward after Epstein's 2019 arrest. Maguire stated that the investigation ultimately identified dozens of victims across multiple states and countries, though the indictment focused on the victims whose accounts could be most thoroughly corroborated.
MAXWELL'S ARREST: Agent Maguire provided detailed testimony about the arrest of Ghislaine Maxwell on July 2, 2020, at a property in Bradford, New Hampshire. She described the operation to locate Maxwell, who had been living in seclusion at the 156-acre property purchased through a limited liability company. Maguire testified that Maxwell was found in a bedroom of the residence and was arrested without incident. The search of the property yielded additional evidence, including a mobile phone wrapped in tin foil — a detail that prosecutors argued demonstrated consciousness of guilt and an attempt to evade electronic surveillance.
FINANCIAL EVIDENCE: Maguire testified about the financial investigation that accompanied the criminal probe. She described tracing financial transactions between Epstein and Maxwell, including transfers totaling millions of dollars. Maguire presented evidence showing that Epstein transferred approximately $30 million to Maxwell between 1999 and 2007, and that Maxwell used these funds to maintain a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of luxury properties and expensive personal items.
EVIDENCE PRESENTATION TO JURY: Throughout her testimony, Agent Maguire presented physical exhibits to the jury, including photographs of Epstein's residences, copies of flight logs, phone records, and excerpts from the contact book. Her presentation was methodical and detailed, providing the factual foundation upon which the prosecution built its case. Legal analysts noted that Maguire's testimony was effective in connecting the documentary evidence to the accounts provided by the victims, creating a coherent narrative of the conspiracy.
CROSS-EXAMINATION: During cross-examination, Maxwell's defense team questioned Maguire about the scope of the investigation and whether certain avenues of inquiry had been fully explored. The defense raised questions about the chain of custody of some evidence and about whether the investigation had been influenced by media attention. Maguire maintained that the investigation was thorough and professionally conducted.