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.
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