Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite who once became the companion of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and is now losing her freedom, has finished a day and a half of talks with American legal officials during which she “interacted with approximately 100 individuals,” her lawyer has said.
“She answered as candidly and accurately as her memory allowed,” David Oscar Marcus told reporters outside the federal courthouse in Tallahassee, where Maxwell arrived for a meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“She never took advantage of anyone, never refused to explain, so we are proud of her,” Mr. Marcus added.
Maxwell is currently serving a twenty-year sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee.
She was convicted three years ago of aiding the wealthy and influential banker Epstein in a sexual crime against underage girls.
Epstein officially committed suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial, but his connections to Maxwell and high-profile figures ranging from royalty to heads of state and billionaires, including US President Donald Trump, continue to generate widespread controversy and conspiracy theories.
This week, Deputy Attorney General Blanche took to social media to say that Maxwell's interrogation was prompted by President Trump's order to collect and release credible information about other potential violators.
Mr Trump says he had no knowledge of Epstein's misdeeds and has long since cut off contact with him.
Even so, he continues to face questions about the Epstein affair that overshadow his office's successes.
On Friday, members of the media pressed the Republican president to pardon Maxwell, but he avoided answering directly, emphasizing his team's achievements.
“Mrs. Maxwell received questions from probably a hundred different people,” Mr. Marcus said.
“The Deputy Prosecutor General is committed to the facts,” Mr. Marcus emphasized.
“He asked a wide variety of questions and did a tremendous job.”
The defense attorney stressed that he did not ask for any concessions for his client, although he acknowledged that the president has the right to grant a pardon.
“This morning, the head of state said that he has such a plenipotentiary power. We hope that he will use this prerogative fairly,” Mr. Marcus stated.
The Justice Department recently said it would not release new documents in the Epstein case, flouting Attorney General Pam Bondi's promises to release them.
The department also claims that there is no complete list of the financier’s clients.
The defense says Maxwell will appeal his sentence, relying on the government's longstanding commitment not to indict potential Epstein associates.
In 2008, Epstein reached a plea agreement with the federal court, after which his case was transferred to state court in Florida, where he pleaded guilty to charges of child slavery and promoting prostitution of minors.
Epstein was indicted on federal charges in New York in 2019 and Maxwell in 2020.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
