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Ghislaine Maxwell trial: Epstein’s housekeeper says instruction manual warned him to act ‘dumb and blind’

Juan Alessi said there were 'girls constantly flying with Mr Epstein and Ms Maxwell to the house' in Palm Beach, Florida

NEW YORK – Jurors in Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial have heard how an instruction manual to Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime housekeeper warned him to “remember that you see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing”.

Juan Alessi, who worked for Epstein at his Palm Beach house between 1991 and 2002, said in his evidence to the court on Thursday there were “girls constantly flying with Mr Epstein and Ms Maxwell to the house” in Palm Beach, Florida.

“I understand she is the lady of the house,” he said of Ms Maxwell’s position in Epstein’s home, adding that she also advised him to never look Epstein in the eyes.

It follows emotional evidence from one of the alleged victims, named as “Jane” at the New York court, who told jurors on Wednesday she flew on paedophile financier Epstein’s private plane with Prince Andrew and met former president Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort at the age of 14.

Juan Alessi, Jeffrey Epstein's house manager, testifies during the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, the Epstein associate accused of sex trafficking, in a courtroom sketch in New York City, U.S., December 2, 2021. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg
Juan Alessi giving evidence at the trial of Ghislaine Maxwell (Photo: Jane Rosenberg/Reuters)

Ms Maxwell, 59, entered the fourth day of her trial on Thursday wearing black trousers, a black top and a matching face mask, on charges relating to her alleged involvement in Epstein’s sex crimes. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Mr Alessi told the court that he saw “many, many, many” girls in the company of Epstein and Ms Maxwell, and that at least two of those girls – Jane and Virginia Roberts Giuffre – appeared to be underage, saying both were “around 14 or 15” at the time.

He told jurors that Ms Maxwell provided him with a household manual which included checklists, rules and instructions during his term of employment.

“Remember that you see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing except to answer a question directed at you,” the manual said, which was read out in court.

Mr Alessi said that he took that as “kind of a warning that I was supposed to be dumb and blind”.

The manual included cleaning instructions and repeatedly stressed the need to be discreet and “respect (the couple and their guests’) privacy”.

“Unless otherwise instructed, never disclose Mr Epstein or Ms Maxwell’s activities or whereabouts to anyone,” it read.

The court heard that Mr Alessi was asked by Epstein and Ms Maxwell separately to call people listed in the couple’s infamous “little black book” of contacts to schedule massages for the billionaire on several occasions.

He said Jane, who was then 14, was listed by her real name in that book and that he often saw her at Epstein’s house.

“I don’t know how old she was but she appeared to be 14 or 15,” he said. “She was strikingly beautiful”.

He also told the court that Epstein and Ms Maxwell instructed him to pick up Jane and Ms Giuffre and bring them to the house multiple times.

Mr Alessi said he met Ms Giuffre, who he said appeared to be 14 or 15 at the time, through Ms Maxwell when she told him to “stop” the car after seeing the teen walking up a ramp.

He said Ms Giuffre had a boyfriend who once accompanied her to Epstein’s home and was standing in the kitchen when Ms Maxwell told Ms Alessi to make him go and “wait in the car”.

Mr Alessi said he saw these girls go to Maxwell’s desk each time they visited the home but never saw what happened next.

This courtroom sketch shows Ghislaine Maxwell (L) taking notes in court during testimony of Lisa Rocchio (R), a forensic psychologist, as Judge Alison Nathan looks on during Maxwell's trial on charges of sex trafficking, in New York City, on December 2, 2021. - The 59-year-old daughter of late newspaper baron Robert Maxwell faces an effective life sentence if convicted in New York of sex trafficking minors for late financier Jeffrey Epstein, her former lover who killed himself in prison over two years ago. The first alleged victim to testify in the sex trafficking trial of Ghislaine Maxwell said in court Tuesday she was 14 when the late US financier Jeffrey Epstein started sexually abusing her, and that the British socialite was sometimes present and even participated. (Photo by Jane Rosenberg / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION - TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO ARCHIVE - (Photo by JANE ROSENBERG/AFP via Getty Images)
Ghislaine Maxwell takes notes in court as Lisa Rocchio gives evidence (Photo: Jane Rosenberg/Getty)

Earlier in the day, the court heard evidence from Lisa Rocchio, a psychologist who specialises in treating patients who have suffered sexual abuse, to the witness stand on Thursday.

Ms Maxwell appeared to watch closely as Dr Rocchio described how “coercive control” and other factors often caused victims to delay disclosing the abuse until adulthood.

“When children are sexually abused, most often it is not done through the use of physical force but rather through grooming and coercion in the context of a relationship,” Dr Rocchio said.

She told the court that “gift-giving” was a “powerful inducement” that perpetrators often used to manipulate their victims.

She said that the younger child victims are, the more likely they will delay disclosure, adding: “Most children don’t tell anyone about the abuse they’ve experienced until adulthood.”

Dr Rocchio told jurors there were vulnerability factors that place some children at higher risk of child abuse, including those who come from financially or emotionally disadvantaged circumstances.

She said perpetrators would often exploit those vulnerabilities as a means to gain access to the child and create an attachment.

Ms Maxwell appeared to keep herself busy throughout the proceedings, sometimes closely watching as witnesses testified, or looking at documents, taking notes, playing with her hair or adjusting her glasses.

Her lawyers have indicated that they intend to call a psychiatrist, Park Dietz, to testify that Ms Maxwell’s efforts to win girls’ trust did not reflect an intent that they be abused.

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Earlier this week, the Duke of York was named in the trial for a second day in a row as the witness recalled flying with Andrew on Epstein’s plane.

On Tuesday, longtime pilot for Jeffrey Epstein, Lawrence Paul Visoski Jr told the court the Duke of York was a passenger on the aircraft which has been dubbed the “Lolita Express”.

Ms Maxwell, who has been held in a US jail since her arrest in July last year, denies all six charges against her including conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts and enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts.

The defendant is further alleged to have lied under oath by hiding her participation in Epstein’s offences during a separate civil case.

The trial continues.

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