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As Virginia Roberts’ astonishing claims have made headlines around the world, it was reported last week that President Clinton's continuing friendship with Maxwell has caused a rift between him and his wife, potential Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. However, the pair were pictured looking cosy together as they left the funeral of former New York Governor Mario Cuomo. Epstein and Maxwell met shortly after she moved to New York in the 1990s following the death of her father, shamed newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell. And they remained just as close even after an initial romance faded. For Epstein, Maxwell was a useful conduit to some of the most powerful people in the world, from PresidentClinton to Prince Andrew. Close: Not only was Ghislaine Maxwell friends with Prince Andrew, but his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson as well. The pair are pictured together at the opening of the Asprey Flagship Store on 5th Avenue on December 8, 2003, in New York City Allegations: Ghislaine Maxwell is accused of ‘facilitating Prince Andrew's acts of sexual abuse by acting as a madame for Epstein’. Above, Miss Maxwell looks on as Prince Andrew smiles with Virginia Roberts in 2001 While Maxwell became used to the luxuries that Epstein could afford her, trips by private jet and his very own Caribbean island. Rarely photographed or seen out in public unlike his friend Maxwell, Esptein was however pictured with the brunette as they partied the night away on March 15, 2005, at a Manhattan charity event featuring singer Rod Stewart. But as they socialized with the cream of Manhattan society, including CBS President Les Moonves, his wife Julie Chen, Sean Lennon and Padma Lakshmi, at the Wall Street Rising event, Epstein, now 63, and Maxwell, would have been entirely unaware of a police probe that was launched that very day. In May 2006, a 'probable cause affidavit' revealed that Epstein was the subject of an 11-month undercover investigation by police after a complaint in 2005 from the stepmother of a 14-year-old girl, who claimed she was paid $300 to give him an erotic massage at his flamingo-pink villa in Palm Beach. Close: Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein (left) at The Queen's residence of HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019471