The Justice Department and the House Oversight Committee seem to think she can somehow clear Trump of wrongdoing
Lawyers for the Justice Department traveled to Tallahassee on Thursday to meet with convicted sex trafficker, and former Jeffrey Epstein partner, Ghislaine Maxwell. The meeting is taking place amid a renewed firestorm of interest in Epstein’s case, and backlash from the MAGA base over the Trump administration’s refusal to release additional government evidence that could expose some of the powerful figures potentially tied to the notorious sex offender..
A longtime romantic partner to Epstein and collaborator in his trafficking operations, Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking, conspiracy, and transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in illegal sexual activity in 2021, and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Maxwell potentially harbors a wealth of knowledge regarding who among Epstein’s associates abused young women and girls along with Epstein. She has, so far, remained tight-lipped about what she does or does not know. Almost five years into her incarceration, she seems tentatively willing to play ball with the Trump administration as it scrambles to tamp down suspicion about his connection to the disgraced financier.
Here’s a refresher on Maxwell’s role in the Epstein case, and how the Trump administration hopes she might bail them out of a crisis of their own making.
Who is Ghislaine Maxwell?
Before becoming the subject of international attention over her connections to Epstein, Maxwell was a British socialite and the daughter of Ian Robert Maxwell, a former member of the British Parliament.
Maxwell met Epstein in the late 80s or early 90s, when the wealthy financier was a staple in the New York City social scene. They began a relationship shortly after and remained close up until his death in custody over two decades later.
While Epstein’s proclivities for young women and underage girls was infamous, Maxwell was considered his “main” girlfriend by those who knew him or worked for him. She effectively operated as a chief of staff for his household, managing his staff, and coordinating the visits of young women “massage therapists” to his home in Manhattan.
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What was she accused of?
In February 2020, Maxwell was arrested by the FBI and accused of having “assisted, facilitated, and contributed to Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims known to Maxwell and Epstein to be under the age of 18.”
The charges against Maxwell stemmed from nearly a decade of allegations that she had helped recruit, groom, and abuse young women on Epstein’s behalf. Several victims, most of whom were not publicly identified, testified that after Maxwell recruited them, they were coerced into performing sex acts with Epstein.
Maxwell was ultimately convicted on five counts: sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in cri