ON THE RUN

Knowing that she’d probably spend the rest of her life in jail for her crimes, Ghislaine Maxwell went to astonishing lengths to avoid capture. A new book reveals how for 12 months the wealthy socialite linked to Jeffrey Epstein eluded the FBI and the dramatic game of cat-and-mouse that eventually culminated in her arrest

- NIGEL CAWTHORNE

IT’S a place where nothing much of note ever happens. Nestling among pastures and streams on the shores of a New England lake, the sleepy little town has a single set of traffic lights, a population of less than 2 000 and one of the lowest crime rates in America.

So when the noise of two small planes flying high overhead broke the peaceful dawn one summer morning in 2020, puzzled residents of Bradford, New Hampshire, soon realised something was afoot.

What was going on? Some people called neighbours to see if anyone knew anything; others rushed out to watch.

In addition to the planes, there were 15 vehicles lined up and stationary in the main road. When a local demanded to know who they were and what they were doing he was told they were from the New England Aerial Map Society.

Unfortunately for them, the local was an expert on geology and maps so he knew the New England Aerial Map Society didn’t exist.

He asked to look inside one of their vans, but was told it was off-limits. Now seriously alarmed, he asked his wife to call the police.

By now most of the town was awake, trading all kinds of theories. No one, however, had guessed the truth: that the convoy was gearing up to raid the well-hidden lair of Ghislaine Maxwell, while FBI spotter planes hovered in case she tried to escape.

IN FAIRNESS, hardly anyone in Bradford had seen the owner of Tucked away – a luxurious four-bedroom property set in 63 hectares of woodland – since she’d moved in. And the only one who’d met her before that was the estate agent who’d clinched the sale.