At just 14 years old, Carolyn Andriano stepped into Jeffrey Epstein’s lavish Palm Beach mansion expecting quick cash for a “massage”—only to be greeted by Ghislaine Maxwell, who assessed her body, groped her, and declared her perfect for Epstein and his friends.
From that moment in 2001, Maxwell allegedly scheduled the encounters weekly—sometimes two or three times a week—for years. Carolyn testified that Epstein sexually abused her more than 100 times, paying her $300 each visit while Maxwell coordinated it all, turning routine exploitation into a horrifying routine that left the vulnerable teen addicted to drugs to numb the trauma.
She described feeling trapped, her life unraveling as the abuse continued until she turned 18 and was deemed “too old” for Epstein.
Her emotional courtroom breakdown helped convict Maxwell in 2021, but the scars—and questions about lasting justice—endure.
At just 14 years old, Carolyn Andriano stepped into Jeffrey Epstein’s lavish Palm Beach mansion expecting quick cash for a “massage”—only to be greeted by Ghislaine Maxwell, who assessed her body, groped her, and declared her perfect for Epstein and his friends.
In 2001, Carolyn—then a troubled teenager who had dropped out of seventh grade, endured prior childhood sexual abuse at age 4, and lived in a chaotic home with an alcoholic mother—was introduced to Epstein’s world by Virginia Giuffre (then Virginia Roberts), an older acquaintance who promised easy money. Accompanied by Giuffre, Carolyn arrived at the sprawling Florida estate, where Maxwell, with her British accent and poised demeanor, met them at the door. Maxwell inspected Carolyn’s physique, touched her inappropriately during what was presented as a casual evaluation, and proclaimed her “perfect” for Epstein’s needs. That initial encounter set in motion a horrifying routine.
From that point, Maxwell allegedly scheduled Carolyn’s visits weekly—often two or three times a week—for nearly four years, until she turned 18 and was told she was “too old.” Carolyn testified under the pseudonym “Carolyn” during Ghislaine Maxwell’s 2021 federal sex-trafficking trial in Manhattan that Epstein sexually abused her more than 100 times. Each “massage” session involved sexual acts, after which Maxwell would leave $300 in cash on the bathroom sink as payment. Carolyn used the money to buy drugs—marijuana, cocaine, pain pills—to numb the trauma and dissociation required to endure the appointments. She described feeling trapped in a cycle of exploitation: the cash provided short-term relief amid poverty and addiction, while the abuse deepened her despair, unraveling her life further.
Carolyn recounted the grooming process in vivid detail: Maxwell coordinated logistics, sometimes driving her or arranging transport, and normalized the encounters as routine favors for a wealthy benefactor. Epstein’s mansion, with its opulent pools, staff, and air of untouchability, became a site of repeated violation. Carolyn said she never felt safe enough to refuse or escape, isolated by her age, vulnerability, and the power imbalance. She testified that the experience fueled her addiction, which she used “to block out” the assaults.
Her emotional testimony—marked by breakdowns on the stand as she relived the years of abuse—proved pivotal. As one of four key accusers (alongside “Jane,” “Kate,” and Annie Farmer), Carolyn’s account helped secure Maxwell’s conviction in December 2021 on five counts, including sex trafficking of a minor, leading to a 20-year prison sentence. Jurors later cited her raw, credible testimony as crucial evidence of Maxwell’s active role in recruiting and facilitating the abuse.
Carolyn waived anonymity post-trial, speaking publicly about her ordeal and the lasting scars. Tragically, the trauma persisted: she struggled with ongoing addiction and mental health issues. In May 2023, at age 36, Carolyn Andriano was found dead in a West Palm Beach hotel room from an accidental overdose involving methadone, fentanyl, and alprazolam, leaving behind five children, a husband, and a grieving mother who blamed Epstein and Maxwell for destroying her daughter’s life.
Her story endures as a stark reminder of the human cost of Epstein’s network—how vulnerable teens were targeted, groomed, and discarded. While Maxwell’s conviction offered partial justice, Carolyn’s death underscores unresolved questions: the long shadow of trauma, systemic failures to protect the exploited, and whether full accountability for those who enabled or benefited from the abuse will ever be achieved.
Leave a Reply