GHISLAINE Maxwell - a British socialite who was accused by many women of helping procure underage sex partners for Jeffrey Epstein - has been arrested, according to the FBI.

Maxwell, who lived for years with Epstein and was his frequent travel companion on trips around the world, has been taken into custody, said FBI spokesman Marty Feely.

Epstein killed himself in a federal detention centre in New York last summer while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Maxwell was accused by many women of recruiting them to give Epstein massages, during which they were pressured into sex.

Maxwell has previously repeatedly denied wrongdoing and called some of the claims against her "absolute rubbish".

The Northern Echo: A yellow school bus with a post-birthday message for the Duke of York, from US lawyer Gloria Allred, driving along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace, London. Ms Allred, who represents five of the alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein, has been critical of the Duke for not speaking with the FBI about his former friend Epstein. Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/PA ImagesA yellow school bus with a post-birthday message for the Duke of York, from US lawyer Gloria Allred, driving along The Mall towards Buckingham Palace, London. Ms Allred, who represents five of the alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein, has been critical of the Duke for not speaking with the FBI about his former friend Epstein. Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/PA Images

Among the most sensational accusations was a claim by one Epstein victim, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, that Maxwell arranged for her to have sex with the Duke of York at her London townhouse.

Andrew denied her story.

Maxwell was described in a lawsuit by another Epstein victim, Sarah Ransome, as the "highest-ranking employee" of Epstein's alleged sex trafficking enterprise.

She oversaw and trained recruiters, developed recruiting plans and helped conceal the activity from law enforcement, the lawsuit alleged.