Maxwell cannot be excused for what she did to the victims, but I think that there can be little doubt that she is a damaged individual, if you look at her childhood and the relationship she had with her father. She seems to crave acceptance by powerful dominant men.
Acting as a mother figure when she stroked the victims back or face to pacify the young girls fear as the situation escalated, she assisted Epstein in using his victims, sometimes joining in.
There have been numerous women in history who assisted powerful male characters in carrying out unspeakable acts.
It doesn’t excuse them, but it may explain it.