Update On What Ghislaine Maxwell Provided To DOJ
Convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell is said to have provided details about over 100 individuals associated with Jeffrey Epstein during private meetings with the Justice Department this week, a development that has sparked speculation regarding her potential pursuit of clemency from President Donald Trump.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche oversaw the two-day questioning, which Maxwell’s attorney asserts is the first genuine opportunity she has had to speak, as reported by The New York Post.
David Oscar Markus, Maxwell’s lawyer, informed the media that “every conceivable question” was posed and addressed during the discussion.
“This was the first chance she’s ever had to respond to inquiries about what transpired,” Markus stated. “The truth regarding Mr. Epstein’s activities will emerge, and she is the individual providing those answers.”
Earlier this week, Blanche remarked that “no lead is off-limits,” and Maxwell’s legal team confirmed that she did not invoke the Fifth Amendment.
“If she provides false information, they could charge her with perjury,” Markus pointed out.
A journalist reminded him that she had previously faced charges of perjury, which Markus acknowledged, although those charges were dismissed following her conviction in 2021.
Sources informed ABC News that Maxwell was granted proffer immunity during the discussions, indicating that her statements cannot be utilized against her in any future criminal cases. Such agreements are typically employed when prosecutors are seeking cooperation, according to the outlet.
Maxwell, now 63 years old, is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking and conspiracy related to her involvement in Epstein’s offenses, but she is appealing the ruling, and some legal analysts speculate that she may be attempting to negotiate a deal.
When asked about the meeting while in Scotland, Trump stated that he has not been monitoring the situation and has not considered the possibility of a pardon. “This is not the time to discuss pardons,” Trump told a reporter.
Maxwell is said to have initiated contact with the DOJ, engaging with officials for
The Department of Justice has refrained from making any public comments regarding the statements made, yet this signifies a significant change in their stance after having previously expressed skepticism about Maxwell’s truthfulness.
A recent report further elaborates on Maxwell’s existence while incarcerated and how she has allegedly transformed herself during her two-decade sentence for her involvement in Epstein’s sexual offenses.
“I did a double take, as I recognized her face instantly from the news. I thought, ‘Is that who I believe it to be?’” remarked Jessica Watkins, a former Oath Keeper who was confined in the same low-security facility in Florida as Maxwell.
Watkins received an initial sentence of 8.5 years for her participation in the January 6 assault on the United States Capitol. President Donald Trump commuted her sentence on his first day back in office earlier this year.
“My friend who was with me said, ‘I don’t know – who is it?’” Watkins recounted. “I updated her on the situation. I began inquiring around, and it was undoubtedly her.”
Watkins mentioned that she and Maxwell conversed daily, often while exercising in the open-air yard of the jail, with Maxwell occasionally referencing her case.
“We refrain from discussing cases as inmates because others might perceive you as a snitch,” Watkins clarified. “It’s an unspoken rule among inmates. You don’t inquire.”
Watkins could only recall one instance when Maxwell brought up Epstein.
“She did mention that the DOJ had no interest in her until after, her exact words were until after Jeffrey, and then she hesitated for a moment and said ‘died,’” Watkins stated. “That was the sole occasion he was ever mentioned.”
The DOJ’s Blanche spent nearly two days at a federal courthouse in Tallahassee interviewing Maxwell, who responded to inquiries regarding “about 100 different people,” as per her attorney.
“She never claimed a privilege,” David Oscar Markus informed reporters on Thursday. “She never declined to answer a question, so we are very proud of her.”