Ghislaine Maxwell has not had legal representation in the case since September of last year, when her counsel announced that they would be stepping down in a filing that claimed their convicted sex offender client owed them $878,302.66 in unpaid fees.
Lawyers representing the estate of Jeffery Epstein are asking a judge in the Virgin Islands to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Ghislaine Maxwell in 2020 seeking millions to cover her legal fees.
In a motion filed last week obtained by Inside Edition Digital, lawyers for the estate and its executors Darren Indyke and Richard Kahn noted that Maxwell has not had legal representation in the case since September of last year, when her counsel announced that they would be stepping down in a filing that claimed their convicted sex offender client owed them $878,302.66 in unpaid fees.
Due to these circumstances, the estate is asking the judge to dismiss the proceedings over what they allege is Maxwell's failure to prosecute.
Court filings show that Maxwell, 61, has twice been instructed to retain new counsel, and on both occasions did not comply with the court's request.
Lawyers for Epstein's estate filed their motion 180 days after a March 17 hearing during which the judge in the case instructed Maxwell to obtain legal counsel in the next 60 days if she wished to pursue her lawsuit.
"Maxwell’s counsel withdrew from his representation over one year ago, and since that time, this case has lain dormant. Though the Court has granted her ample time to find new counsel and ordered her to do so, Maxwell has not done so," the Epstein Estate's motion reads. "Additionally, to the extent Maxwell is unable to retain new counsel, nothing precludes her from litigating her claims pro se, but she has thus far declined to do so. Accordingly, the Court should dismiss Maxwell’s Complaint."
The filing also requests that Maxwell be ordered to make an appearance in court within 30 days if the motion to dismiss is denied by the judge.
It has been nearly four years since Maxwell filed her lawsuit, requesting that Epstein's estate cover her "attorneys' fees, security costs, costs to find safe accommodation and all other expenses Maxwell has reasonably incurred and will incur by reason of her prior employment relationship with Jeffrey E Epstein."
Epstein and Maxwell had a verbal agreement that he would provide for her in this capacity she claimed in her initial filing.
"Maxwell receives regular threats to her life and safety, which have required her to hire personal security services and find safe accommodation," the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit claims that Maxwell worked for Epstein and a number of his companies as a property manager until 2001, at which point she scaled back her role until 2004 when she started her own business.
When she did leave, Maxwell claims that Epstein promised to provide for her moving forward, and allegs that he did in fact did so when she was later sued by two of his victims - Sarah Ransome and Virginia Roberts.
"In approximately 2004, Maxwell received a typewritten letter from Epstein with a handwritten note asking Maxwell to remain in Epstein’s employ and promising that no matter what Maxwell chose to do, Epstein would always support Maxwell financially," the lawsuit claims.
In the filing, Maxwell said that the lawsuits against her began to pile up after Epstein agreed to his now infamous "sweetheart" plea deal in 2008, a non-prosecution agreement that protected Epstein from ever facing federal charges in exchange for a guilty plea to state charges of soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution.
This federally brokered deal allowed Epstein to serve just 13 months of an 18-month sentence, but also required that he settle any civil suits filed against him by the approximately 40 underage victims who spoke with police.
"Maxwell has incurred and will continue to incur significant legal fees, personal security costs, and other costs in connection with legal suits, proceedings and investigations relating to Epstein, his affiliated businesses, and his alleged victims," the lawsuit says.
The media scion, who is the youngest child of disgraced British press baron Robert Maxwell, filed her suit against the estate after an invoice requesting money went unanswered, and claimed in her initial filing that Epstein paid the legal bills of "a number of other employees in other various lawsuits relating to Epstein."
Maxwell's legal bills rose astronomically in the years after she filed her lawsuit due in large part to her indictment and eventual conviction on multiple federal felony charges including: sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Her subsequent sentencing did however lower her alleged security costs as she is now under constant surveillance as a member of the prison population at FCI Tallahassee, where she will not be eligible for parole until 2037.
Lawyers for Epstein's estate did not respond to a request for comment.
