Two years after Jeffrey Epstein's suicide behind bars, a jury has been picked in New York City for Ghislaine Maxwell's trial. Video / AP
Ghislaine Maxwell told staff to "see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing" in a painstakingly detailed household manual for employees at Jeffrey Epstein's Palm Beach mansion, a New York court has heard.
The 58-page document, written by the British socialite, tells employees to respond to compliments by saying they "enjoy doing it", anticipate Maxwell and Epstein's needs, and never speak to guests at the financier's sprawling six-bedroom home unless addressed first.
It also includes guidelines around how full tubes of toothpaste should be kept, what temperature the bathroom should be and where in the bedroom a gun should be stored.
"There were many, many, many rules," said Juan Alessi, a 71-year-old former house manager who worked for Epstein for over 10 years, during his testimony for the prosecution as part of Maxwell's sex trafficking trial.
He described the orders as "degrading", and likened his 18-hour days to "slavery" in court yesterday.
In the manual, excerpts of which were read in court, Maxwell wrote that staff were not to speak to Epstein's guests "except to answer a question directed at you. Respect their privacy".
"Remember that you see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing," it states.
A page-and-a-half is dedicated to "proper language", with employees ordered not to use slang like "yeah", "you bet", "gotcha" and "I dunno" when speaking to guests.
The manual adds that when staff receive a compliment, they should reply: "Thank you, Ms ___ . I enjoy doing it." Or alternatively: "You are very kind."
Upon entering a room, staff are told to: "provide your service, then ask, 'Is there anything else I might do for you?' and if not, leave the room."
At all times, workers should also "try to anticipate the needs of Mr Epstein, Ms Maxwell and their guests".
Employees were further ordered "never" to disclose Epstein or Maxwell's "activities or whereabouts to anyone" who called the house.
Other parts of the document detail how the mansion should be kept, with meticulous checklists for luxury products to be kept fully stocked at all times in various bathrooms.
Maxwell's toothpaste had to be replaced once half had been used, and tissues when more than two-thirds had been used. She always had to have Kiehl's cucumber toner and cleansing moisturiser.
In the master bedroom, the manual says a gun should always be placed in the bedside table drawer.
The guide also lays out exactly how Epstein and Maxwell liked their breakfast - Weetabix with banana slices, sugar and milk and Maxwell House instant coffee - and what temperature she liked her bathroom to be - 15C.
Epstein's cars should all be left with a US$100 bill in the glove box or centre console, it adds.
"They run the house like a five-star hotel," Alessi said during his testimony on Friday.
He added that the demands of the job meant he had to work from 5am until 9 or 10pm most days. He eventually quit in 2002, citing extreme stress and ill-health.
Maxwell's defence team wanted to stop the manual from being presented at trial. In a court filing weeks ago, they said the document "reflects a lifestyle that many jurors may find offensive".
'Never disclose activities.'
During jury selection, each prospective juror was asked if they held any bias towards wealthy people who had "luxurious lifestyles". None answered yes.
Yesterday, before proceedings began at the federal court in Manhattan, lawyers engaged in a fierce debate about the admissibility of evidence which included photographs of partially clothed pre-pubescent girls found at Epstein's Palm Beach mansion by police.
The paedophile financier can be seen pulling down the underwear of a young goddaughter in one and pretending to "bite her bottom".
In another, found on a wall outside his bedroom, a young girl is seen just in her underwear, the court heard.
Also found in Epstein's home when it was razed in 2019 were a number of "small" schoolgirl outfits - described in court as "costumes". They were discovered in the same room as the sex toys allegedly used during Epstein's massages.
Defence lawyers acting for Maxwell tried to have these images struck off the evidence list, but were unsuccessful, indicating that they will be shown to the jury at some stage.
Jeffrey Pagliuca, for the defence, described the scene with Epstein and his goddaughter as "a playful moment".
He said, "maybe not everyone is like this with their goddaughter, but it is not illegal".
