Document 11032

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, v. GHISLAINE MAXWELL, Defendant. REPLY MEMORANDUM OF GHISLAINE MAXWELL IN SUPPORT OF HER RENEWED MOTION FOR BAIL Mark S. Cohen Christian R. Everdell COHEN & GRESSER LLP 800 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 Phone: 212-957-7600 Jeffrey S. Pagliuca Laura A. Menninger HADDON, MORGAN & FOREMAN P.C. 150 East 10th Avenue Denver, CO 80203 Phone: 303-831-7364 Bobbi C. Sternheim Law Offices of Bobbi C. Sternheim 33 West 19th Street - 4th Floor New York, NY 10011 Phone: 212-243-1100 Attorneys for Ghislaine Maxwell DOJ-OGR-00001186 --- PAGE BREAK --- 892-93 (8th Cir. 1985) ("The legal standard required by the [Bail Reform] Act is one of reasonable assurances, not absolute guarantees."). Under, the Bail Reform Act, a defendant must be released unless there are "no conditions" that would reasonably assure her presence. Here, the proposed package satisfies the actual governing standard, and the Court should grant bail. ARGUMENT I. The Government Concedes that Its Case Relies Almost Exclusively on the Testimony of Three Witnesses In evaluating the strength of the government's case in its prior ruling, the Court relied on the government's proffer that the testimony of the three accusers would be corroborated by "significant contemporaneous documentary evidence." (Tr. 82 (emphasis added)). The government now expressly retreats from this position. It is abundantly clear from the government's response that it has no "significant contemporaneous documentary evidence"—in fact, it has virtually no documentary corroboration at all—and that its case against Ms. Maxwell is based almost exclusively on the recollections of the three accusers, who remain unidentified, concerning events that took place over 25 years ago. Moreover, the government offers no specificity about when within the four-year period of the charged conspiracy the alleged incidents of abuse took place. This, alone, is grounds for the Court to reconsider its prior ruling. The few examples of documentary corroboration referenced by the government—which are the same examples that the government touted at the initial bail hearing—pertain to Epstein, not Ms. Maxwell. The government concedes that [REDACTED] (Gov. Mem. at 11 (emphasis added)). The government further states that [REDACTED] (Id. (emphasis added)). The strength of the government's case against Jeffrey Epstein is not at issue --- PAGE BREAK --- Case 2:016-cv-03306-AJN Document 11032 Filed 03/23/20 Page 4 of 15 TABLE OF EXHIBITS Exhibit A. Julieé Addendum Opinion (France) Exhibit B. Perry Addendum Opinion (U.K.) DOJ-OGR-00020107 --- PAGE BREAK --- PRELIMINARY STATEMENT The only issue before the Court is whether conditions exist that can reasonably assure Ms. Maxwell's appearance during this case. On this renewed application, Ms. Maxwell has put before the Court a significant bail package, supported by detailed submissions, which warrant her release on strict conditions. She and her spouse have committed to signing a bond in the full amount of their net worth, regardless of the ownership of the underlying assets. She has proffered seven additional sureties, consisting of her family and close friends, many of whom are U.S. citizens and long-time residents, who have come forward at great personal risk and have pledged meaningful assets. The government does not challenge the good faith and bona fides of these proposed sureties. She has provided a detailed report from a respected accounting firm, which was further reviewed by a former IRS special agent, setting forth a statement of her financial condition, supported by voluminous documentation. The government does not challenge the report's findings, nor its underlying documentation. She has agreed, in writing, to give up any right she has or could have to contest extradition and submit to all other standard travel restrictions. And she has noted that a key representation made by the government at the initial bail hearing as to the strength of its evidence is simply not accurate—and there is no “significant contemporaneous documentary evidence” that corroborates its case. With regard to any other defendant, this record would readily support release on strict bail conditions, perhaps even on consent. But this is Ghislaine Maxwell, the apparent substitute for Jeffrey Epstein. So, instead, in its response the government urges the Court to disregard the significant additional evidence proffered to the Court and further argues that a defendant cannot be eligible for bail (apparently on any conditions), unless she can provide an absolute guarantee against all risks. But this is not the legal standard. United States v. Orta, 760 F.2d 887, 888 n.4, --- PAGE BREAK --- mistaken. Prior to her arrest, Ms. Maxwell and her spouse had discussed the idea of getting a divorce as an additional way to create distance between Ms. Maxwell and her spouse to protect him from the terrible consequences of being associated with her. Nevertheless, in the weeks following the initial bail hearing, She and her spouse therefore had no reason to continue discussing divorce, which neither of them wanted in the first place. Nor was there any reason for her spouse to refrain from stepping forward as a co-signer. In sum, the government has offered nothing but unsupported innuendo to suggest that Ms. Maxwell's relationship with her spouse is not a powerful tie to this country. The government's assertion that Ms. Maxwell must not have a close relationship with is particularly callous and belied by the facts. (Gov. Mem. at 14). As her spouse explains, (Ex. A ¶ 12). B. Ms. Maxwell Has Thoroughly Disclosed Her Finances and Pledged All of Her and Her Spouse's Assets in Support of Her Bond The government's attempts to rebut the financial condition report are unavailing. Significantly, the government does not contest the accuracy of the report, nor the voluminous supporting documentation. In fact, the government has proffered nothing that calls into question the report's detailed account of Ms. Maxwell and her spouse's assets for the last five years, which addresses one of the Court's principal reasons for denying bail. Rather than question the report itself, the government attempts to argue that Ms. Maxwell deceived the Court and Pretrial Services about her assets. (Gov. Mem. at 22-23). 5 DOJ-OGR-00020112