Ghislaine Maxwell was found guilty on federal sex trafficking charges, NBC News reports.
The jury announced the verdict on Wednesday after six days of deliberations. Maxwell was associated with wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of sexually abusing teenage girls between 1994 and 2004, CNN reports. Epstein died by suicide in prison after being indicted on federal charges in 2019.
Maxwell, 60, was found guilty of five of the six federal charges and could face up to 65 years in prison.
During the trial, the prosecution called 24 witnesses to the stand to testify. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams of the Southern District of New York commended the women who testified in court.
"The road to justice has been far too long. But, today, justice has been done," he said in a statement. "Their courage and willingness to face their abuser made this case, and today’s result, possible."
"I also want to thank the career prosecutors of the Southern District of New York, who embraced the victims’ quest for justice and have worked tirelessly, day in and day out, to ensure that Maxwell was held accountable for her crimes. 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,” his statement continued.
During their testimony, the women said they were "groomed" by Maxwell to have sex with Epstein. One of the women, who was 14 at the time, said Epstein and Maxwell found her at a Michigan arts camp.
Prosecutors also argued that Maxwell and Epstein "never thought teenage girls would stand up to them."