Convicted Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell refused to answer questions before Congress, while her lawyer said she could clear President Donald Trump of wrongdoing if granted clemency.
Maxwell appeared via video link from a federal prison camp in Texas, where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex-trafficking offences connected to Epstein’s exploitation of underage girls. Lawmakers sought to question her as part of a broader effort to determine how Epstein was able to abuse victims for years and whether institutional failures allowed his activities to continue.
Committee members said Maxwell had signalled in advance that she would not provide substantive testimony. During the session she invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, declining to respond to questions that could be used against her in future legal proceedings. The deposition ended shortly after it began.
Ahead of the hearing, Maxwell’s attorney indicated she would be willing to “speak fully and honestly” if granted clemency, suggesting she could offer information clearing Trump’s name. Several lawmakers rejected the prospect of leniency, saying her refusal to cooperate left investigators without new evidence.
The deposition coincided with the U.S. Justice Department’s decision to allow members of Congress to review large volumes of previously restricted material related to the Epstein investigation. Lawmakers have been granted access to millions of documents under strict conditions, including limits on copying or sharing the files.
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein and was sentenced the following year to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors said she played a central role in facilitating contact between Epstein and his victims across multiple properties.
Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges, intensifying scrutiny of his network of associates and the handling of earlier investigations.
Despite Maxwell’s refusal to provide detailed testimony, congressional investigators said their review of documents and past evidence will continue as part of efforts to establish how authorities responded to allegations over several decades. Maxwell has previously maintained her innocence while pursuing appeals of her conviction.
Convicted Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell refused to answer questions before Congress, while her lawyer said she could clear President Donald Trum...
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Armenia, marking the first time a sitting U.S. vice president or president has visited the country, as Was...
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has accused Afghanistan’s authorities of fostering conditions “similar to or worse than pre-9/11”, as te...
Chinese authorities have quietly signalled a shift in strategy, instructing some state-owned banks to rein in their purchases of U.S. government bonds...
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down, saying that “the distraction needs to end and the leaders...
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has arrived in Armenia, marking the first time a sitting U.S. vice president or president has visited the country, as Washington seeks to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus and advance a U.S.-brokered peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Chinese authorities have quietly signalled a shift in strategy, instructing some state-owned banks to rein in their purchases of U.S. government bonds.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down, saying that “the distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change.”
Kazakhstan has significantly expanded its international air connectivity last year, reopening and launching flights to 30 countries according to data released by the country’s transport authorities. By the end of 2025, Kazakhstan was operating 135 international routes.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised American freestyle skier Hunter Hess after the athlete said he felt conflicted about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in Italy, sparking a public clash that highlights growing political tensions surrounding the Games.
U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn underwent surgery in an Italian hospital on Sunday after her attempt to win Olympic downhill gold ended in a violent crash just seconds into the race at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.
Several avalanches struck northern Italy on Saturday, killing at least three people, as rescue officials warned the death toll could rise with unstable conditions persisting across the Alps.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner visited the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea on Saturday after completing a round of talks with Iran.
Train passengers across Italy faced delays of up to three hours on Saturday after suspected acts of sabotage disrupted rail infrastructure near the northern city of Bologna, as the country prepared for the Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics.
Chinese authorities have quietly signalled a shift in strategy, instructing some state-owned banks to rein in their purchases of U.S. government bonds.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has accused Afghanistan’s authorities of fostering conditions “similar to or worse than pre-9/11”, as tensions between the two neighbours intensify amid a surge in militant attacks inside Pakistan.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to step down, saying that “the distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change.”
António José Seguro’s decisive victory over far-right challenger André Ventura marks an historic moment in Portuguese politics, but analysts caution that the result does not amount to a rejection of populism.
Japan’s snap election has delivered a landslide victory for Sanae Takaichi, giving her a strong mandate to advance fiscal expansion and defence reforms. But, analysts warn that inflation risks and funding challenges could complicate her agenda.
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