Ghislaine Maxwell, the former associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, declined to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee on Monday, invoking her constitutional right to remain silent.
Maxwell appeared by video link from a federal prison in Texas, where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. The closed-door deposition was part of a congressional investigation into Epstein’s crimes and possible accomplices.
House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer said Maxwell repeatedly pleaded the Fifth Amendment, which protects individuals from self-incrimination. “This is obviously very disappointing,” the Republican lawmaker said, adding that the committee had hoped to question her about Epstein’s criminal network and any potential co-conspirators.
Comer stressed that the investigation aims to uncover the full truth and deliver justice for survivors of Epstein’s abuse. He also said that testimony from victims made clear that Maxwell did not deserve immunity or special treatment.
Democratic Representative Melanie Stansbury said Maxwell used the hearing to promote her bid for clemency. Earlier, Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, stated on social media that his client would be willing to speak “fully and honestly” if granted a pardon by President Donald Trump.
Before the deposition, a group of Epstein survivors urged lawmakers to treat any statements by Maxwell with caution. In a letter to the committee, they criticised her past refusal to cooperate with authorities and warned that granting her credibility or leniency would be deeply harmful to victims.
The White House has previously said that no leniency or pardon is being considered for Maxwell.
Convicted in 2021, Maxwell was found guilty of recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein, her former partner. Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial. Maxwell has continued to deny wrongdoing and is seeking a presidential pardon.
In a separate letter to Chairman Comer, Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said he intended to question Maxwell about a court filing in which she referred to several alleged co-conspirators who were never charged. He also wanted to ask about her and Epstein’s past social ties with Donald Trump and whether any discussions about a pardon had taken place.
Trump has denied any involvement in Epstein’s crimes, saying he cut ties with the financier years ago. He has not been accused of wrongdoing by Epstein’s victims.
Khanna noted that Maxwell’s refusal to testify before Congress appeared inconsistent with her earlier cooperation with the Department of Justice, when she did not invoke the Fifth Amendment during a meeting with senior officials.
The deposition comes amid renewed scrutiny of the Epstein case, following the release of millions of pages of Justice Department files under a law passed by Congress last year. Lawmakers are now being granted access to unredacted versions of the documents.
Survivors have continued to call for greater transparency, while the Justice Department has denied claims of a cover-up or the existence of a secret list of unprosecuted offenders.
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