Maxwell was convicted of five of the six charges she faced and also faces two counts of perjury in another trial in a later date.

The most significant trafficking charge carries a sentence of 40 years and coupled with the other charges against her it is likely Maxwell will spend decades, or the rest of her life, behind bars.

Judge Alison Nathan will ultimately decide whether Maxwell’s sentences for each count are to be served consecutively or concurrently.

Sarah Krissoff, a former prosecutor with the Southern District of New York, told the BBC she expects “a very significant prison sentence” for Maxwell.

“Given the involvement of minors, the judge has really great discretion to impose a significant sentence, and based on the evidence that was presented at trial, frankly, I expect the judge to impose a very severe sentence upon her.”

Attorney David Boies, who represented several of Jeffrey Epstein’s accusers including Virginia Roberts Giuffre, called the outcome “a great day for justice and for Maxwell’s survivors.”

Sigrid McCawley, attorney for Annie Farmer, one of the victims who testified as a prosecution witness against Maxwell described the verdict as a “towering victory”.

Provided by The Guardian Isabel Maxwell, Kevin Maxwell, and Christine Maxwell, siblings to Ghislaine Maxwell, walk out of the courthouse surrounded by media on 29 December. Photograph: Yana Paskova/Reuters

For too long their voices were ignored and discounted and their characters impugned and disgraced, but no more ... Today’s verdict makes clear that those who prey upon and traffic minors are committing serious crimes punishable under the law. Ghislaine Maxwell has been held accountable and justice has been done.”

Spencer Kuvin, the lawyer representing nine of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, called the verdict “an absolute and unmitigated victory”.

Robert Glassman, the lawyer who represented “Jane,” one of Maxwell’s accusers who testified during the trial, also released a statement applauding the verdict.

The verdict screams loud and clear-if you make it easier for another to sexually abuse children, you, too, will be held accountable for your role in that abuse.... the strong women survivors of Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse can all sleep better tonight knowing that the justice system got it right.... the jury stayed focused on what really mattered: Ms Maxwell played a critical role in helping Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse girls.”

RAINN, the largest anti-sexual violence organization in the US, has released a statement following the verdict.

Press secretary Erinn Robinson, said:

We are relieved that Maxwell will be held accountable for her predatory behavior and her role in grooming young women for abuse by Jeffrey Epstein.

We are grateful for the brave survivors who came forward to hold Maxwell responsible for her part in his criminal enterprise. We hope that this verdict helps even more survivors see that perpetrators can be held accountable, no matter how powerful or well connected.”

Maxwell’s trial featured the testimony of four women who described their abuse as teenagers in the 1990s and the early 2000s.

Moira Penza described their role as “the most significant in the trial by far”.

That was really the crux of the government’s case here, was the testimony of those four victims, while being corroborated by other witness testimony and other evidence.

And what we saw is witness after witness, victim after victim explaining how Maxwell recruited them when they were underage and how she participated in the normalising of this sexual misconduct, of this abuse, and ultimately participated in the commercial sex aspect of this, so actually facilitating the payment for — in exchange for the sexual abuse.

And so we saw that throughout. And we really saw a focus on what Maxwell’s specific role was in the recruitment and then even in the actual sex acts, massaging one of the underage minors, massaging her breasts, actually participating in the sex acts.

Moira Penza, a former assistant US attorney who led the prosecution in the 2019 sex trafficking conviction of cult leader Keith Raniere, has called the outcome a “complete reckoning” and believes Maxwell will face decades in prison.

Penza spoke to PBS News Hour immediately following the verdict, saying:

I think this is really a complete reckoning. And what we really saw is that jurors understood the government’s argument that, really, Maxwell was the enabler in chief for Epstein, that these crimes were facilitated by him, and the jury was persuaded by these victims who came forward and testified.

Penza described the sex trafficking counts, counts five and six, as the two “most serious” charges in the case, carrying the most significant penalties.

“Those were the ones where we really heard about the direct involvement of Maxwell in actual sexualised massages with the victim,” she explained. “For all those other counts, those are also very serious, but what we saw is that the jury was just taking its job very seriously.” 

Media interest in the case has been unwavering since Maxwell was arrested on multiple criminal charges related to the trafficking and sexual abuse of young women and girls in July of 2020.

Almost 18 months later, hundreds of journalists, camera crew and members of the media were seen outside the US Federal District Court House on Wednesday evening to see the unfold verdict live.