Ghislaine Maxwell is back in the spotlight as she looks to get out of jail. Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for enabling disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, spoke with the US Department of Justice twice last week for a total of 9 hours.
Maxwell is said to have been granted limited immunity as part of the questioning, according to a report by ABC News. The immunity allowed Maxwell to freely answer US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's questions without the fear that her responses could later be used against her.
The closed-door meetings with the DoJ came after a bid from Maxwell's lawyers to overturn her criminal conviction. Maxwell’s legal team told the Supreme Court that her conviction was invalid because of a non-prosecution and plea agreement that federal prosecutors had made with Epstein in Florida in 2007. Her lawyers insist that the deal should have shielded Epstein's associates and also barred Maxwell's criminal prosecution in New York.
David Oscar Markus, Ghislaine Maxwell's attorney, decried the “unfair” treatment that his client has faced for over 5 years now declaring that Maxwell “answered every single question”.
It remains unclear what exactly Maxwell’s meeting with the DoJ will uncover, and whether it will help her get out of jail.
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When asked by reporters if he was considering a pardon or a commutation for Ghislaine Maxwell, Trump said he hasn’t thought about it.
Maxwell’s re-questioning comes at a time of significant political uproar over President Trump and the DoJ’s handling of the Epstein case. Trump has faced backlash from across the aisle, including some of his most vocal MAGA supporters, over the lack of transparency, especially after campaign promises to release the Epstein files.