Ghislaine Maxwell questioned on Epstein case

The US Justice Department’s deputy chief, Todd Blanche, finished questioning Ghislaine Maxwell at a courthouse in Florida on Friday.

The former girlfriend and accomplice of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was jailed in 2022 for grooming underage girls between 1994 and 2004. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence following a conviction for child sex trafficking.

Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. He had previously been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor. His death was ruled a suicide. 

Few details on what DOJ asked Maxwell

Maxwell was questioned for one and a half days, though Blanche did not give specific details about the conversations.

Maxwell's lawyer, David Oscar Markus, told reporters discussions addressed "every possible thing you could imagine" and that Maxwell answered questions "about 100 different people."

"She answered those questions honestly, truthfully, to the best of her ability," Markus said, adding that the Justice Department made no offers of clemency for Maxwell's cooperation.

Maxwell is the only former associate of Epstein to be charged. According to Markus, she still plans to appeal her conviction to the Supreme Court, describing her as a "scapegoat."

Blanche, a former personal attorney for US President Donald Trump, stated on social media that he will share more information "at the appropriate time."

Trump has found himself at odds with his MAGA supporters over the Epstein fileImage: Allison Bailey/NurPhoto/picture alliance

Trump: 'I have nothing to do with the guy'

Trump's past friendship with Epstein has been attracting a lot of attention over the past week. On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Trump contributed to a letter for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003. The US newspaper also reported that Attorney General Pam Bondi had made Trump aware that his name appeared multiple times in Epstein's files. 

Trump denies knowledge of this and is now suing the WSJ for defamation.  He also said Bondi never informed him that his name was in the files. 

"No, I was never — never briefed, no," Trump said.

"I have nothing to do with the guy," Trump told reporters before going to Scotland on Friday.

Trump said journalists should instead "focus" on other people who he claimed were "really close friends" with Epstein. There are, however, several photos showing Trump and Epstein together at social gatherings. 

"You're making a very big thing over something that's not a big thing," Trump told reporters.

When asked about pardoning Maxwell, Trump said that while he's allowed to do it, it's something he "hasn't thought about."

Epstein, a multi-millionaire, was accused of procuring underage girls for sex. His death in custody fueled conspiracy theories that he was murdered to prevent him from testifying against prominent accomplices.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration said it would not be releasing more files related to the Epstein case, despite earlier promises by Bondi and Trump himself. He's asked his followers to "forget" about the files.

The DOJ and the FBI said there was no proof that a list of Epstein's clients exists and reaffirmed that Epstein died by suicide. 

Edited by: Sean Sinico