Ghislaine Maxwell is a ‘master manipulator, ‘ says woman who accused Epstein of sexually assaulting her when she was 22

Teresa Helm, a former masseuse who accused Jeffrey Epstein of rape has called Ghislaine Maxwell a ‘master manipulator’ over claims she lured her to his New York townhouse so he could assault her. 

Teresa, who is not part of the ongoing trial against Ghislaine, said she was approached by the ‘polite’ socialite about a job as a massage therapist in 2002, when she was 22 and attending college in California.

Now 41 years old and living in Ohio, Helm recalled that she ‘immediately felt comfortable’ around Maxwell and was excited to fly to New York for the ‘dream’ job interview.

She gave Maxwell a massage and was then told to meet Epstein at his Upper East Side lair, where he sexually assaulted her during a foot massage, Helm told the BBC on Wednesday. 

Helm claims that before going to meet Epstein, Maxwell told her: ‘”You know, make sure that you give Jeffrey what he wants, because Jeffrey always gets what he wants”.’ 

‘If it were not for her I would never have got myself to the home of a predator,’ Helm added.

‘Now I know for certain this is part of the tactic of a master manipulator.’

The Helm’s story is not part of the case that federal prosecutors in New York are bringing against Maxwell, who faces six counts including sex trafficking and conspiracy. She denies the charges and the trial resumes for its fourth day on Thursday.

However, Helm described to the BBC the role that Epstein’s ‘partner’ allegedly played in luring unsuspecting women to meet the convicted pedophile who killed himself in prison.

‘I really felt that I was in a home of a woman who was educated and successful,’ Helm told the BBC of meeting Maxwell at her New York townhouse.

Helm said that in an initial meeting she performed a massage on Maxwell, who she thought was the intended client.

Maxwell supposedly ‘fell asleep’ halfway through, leading Helm to think ‘it’s going really well’.

Helm was one of five women who sued Epstein’s estate in Federal District Court in Manhattan in 2019, months after his death. 

The filing accused the billionaire pedophile of rape, battery, and false imprisonment and is seeking unspecified damages.

The lawsuit stated: ‘As Teresa was studying massage at the California Healing Arts College, this seemed like a dream opportunity, but her hopes were dashed when it quickly turned into sexual assault.’

The Sun reported that since the filing in 2019, Teresa and the four other women have agreed to participate in a Victim Compensation Fund. 

The Jeffrey Epstein estate and 61 victims entered settlement talks last year and are reportedly set to receive shares of a $100million payout.