Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted sex offender and former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, declined on Monday to answer questions from US lawmakers but said she would be willing to speak publicly if granted clemency by former President Donald Trump.
Maxwell, 64, is serving a 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking after being convicted in 2021 of recruiting underage girls for Epstein, who had ties to powerful business figures, politicians and celebrities. She was subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee to testify about her relationship with Epstein.
Instead of responding, Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.
“As expected, Ghislaine Maxwell took the Fifth and refused to answer any questions,” committee chairman James Comer told reporters. “This is obviously very disappointing. We had many questions about the crimes she and Epstein committed, as well as potential co-conspirators.”
Her attorney, David Markus, said Maxwell would speak openly if granted clemency by Trump. “If this committee and the American public truly want to hear the unfiltered truth about what happened, there is a straightforward path,” he said. “Ms Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump.” Markus also stated that Trump and former president Bill Clinton are “innocent of any wrongdoing.”
Maxwell is the only person convicted in connection with Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. Her deposition was scheduled to be conducted virtually from her Texas prison.
The testimony comes after the Justice Department released millions of documents related to its investigation of Epstein, many heavily redacted, under the Epstein Files Transparency Act (EFTA), passed by Congress in November. The law requires that records be released in full except for the names of victims and prohibits redaction for reasons of embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity.
Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, who reviewed the unredacted files at a secure Justice Department facility on Monday, said he found many redactions “mysterious or baffling”, including the names of people who may have been enablers or cooperators with Epstein. Republican Representative Thomas Massie said he identified six redacted individuals who “are likely incriminated by their inclusion in these files”, including one senior foreign official.
The House Oversight Committee has also subpoenaed the Clintons to testify about their interactions with Epstein. The former first couple has requested public depositions to prevent partisan manipulation. Trump, a former friend of Epstein, has not been called to testify by the Republican-led committee.
Trump had opposed the release of the documents for months, but a revolt among Republicans forced him to sign a law mandating full disclosure. The move comes amid ongoing public suspicion of attempts to shield wealthy and influential figures linked to Epstein.
