Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, intends to invoke her right to remain silent during questioning by the US House Oversight Committee, according to her lawyer. Maxwell is expected to appear virtually for Monday's closed-door deposition from the Texas prison where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.
I can confirm that she will take the 5th, Maxwell's lawyer David Oscar Markus told the BBC on Sunday, referring to the right to avoid self-incrimination outlined in the Fifth Amendment of the US constitution.
Instead, Maxwell will read a prepared statement at the outset of the deposition, Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for her role in luring underage girls for Epstein, her former boyfriend, to exploit. Epstein died in prison in 2019. She is seeking a pardon from Trump and has been accused of lying to federal officials.
In a letter addressed to Oversight Committee chairman James Comer, a Republican, Khanna said he plans to ask Maxwell about a court document she filed last year stating that there were four named co-conspirators and 25 others who were not indicted as part of the Epstein investigation.
He also plans to inquire about her relationship with Donald Trump, and whether the former president discussed a potential pardon with her defense team. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, stating he severed contact decades ago.
Khanna criticized Maxwell's decision to not answer questions, noting it contrasts with her previous statements during a meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, where she did not invoke the Fifth Amendment.
Maxwell's deposition was postponed from last August at the request of her lawyers to wait for a Supreme Court ruling related to her case. The upcoming testimony coincides with the US Department of Justice releasing millions of pages of new files regarding the Epstein investigation following congressional action last year. Reports indicate Congress members will be allowed to view these documents starting Monday.
A group of Epstein survivors has also released a video urging for further transparency regarding the redactions and unreleased files from the investigation. Blanche has denied any accusations of cover-ups regarding information related to Epstein's case.
