The Truth About The Prison Where Ghislaine Maxwell Is Expected To Spend The Next 20 Years

The following article includes allegations of sexual assault.

After being convicted of sex trafficking, Ghislaine Maxwell finally got a prison sentence on June 28. According to The Guardian, the former British aristocrat was sentenced to 20 years in prison for helping Jeffery Epstein recruit and groom young girls from 1994 through 2004. Maxwell was convicted on five out of the six charges she faced. The Guardian reported that the 60-year-old media heiress addressed the victims in the courtroom but did not offer an apology. 

Maxwell said, "I empathize deeply with all of the victims in this case. I also acknowledge that I have been convicted of helping Jeffrey Epstein commit these crimes." The former British socialite added, "I know that my association with Epstein and this case will forever and permanently stain me." According to CNN, Judge Alison Nathan told the courtroom, "Miss Maxwell is not punished in place of Epstein. Miss Maxwell is being punished for the role that she played." The judge added, "Today's sentence will attempt to acknowledge the harm that Ms. Maxwell has caused."

NBC News reported the court sentenced her to five years of supervised release after her prison time and fined Maxwell $750,000. But what is the truth about the prison where Maxwell is expected to spend the next 20 years?

Judge Alison Nathan ordered Ghislaine Maxwell to serve her 20-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut. According to the Daily Mail, FCI Danbury was the facility that inspired the prison in Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black." FCI Danbury is a low-security federal prison with 1,024 inmates. The Mail reported other "famous" inmates had served time, including "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Teresa Giudice, singer Lauryn Hill, and "Orange Is the New Black" author Piper Kerman. Danbury offers many programs for prisoners, including a "wide variety of hobby craft and music programs" and fitness activities.

Beatrice Codianni, a prisoner who served 17 years at Danbury, told NewsTimes the prison is no picnic. Codianni said the facility has "beautiful scenery when compared to other prisons but prisoners are "given substandard food and substandard medical care." Giudice told ABC News that the Danbury prison was "living in hell." Still, federal prison consultant Justin Paperny told the Mail that Maxwell's next stop is an improvement from her current situation at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York. Paperny said, "Once she reaches prison, she'll feel like she's won the lottery." The infamous Brooklyn jail where Maxwell has been since 2020 has horrible conditions for inmates. Insider reported that in 2021, U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon spoke up about the conditions at the MDC, described the jail as "disgusting" and "run by morons."

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).