"We can confirm Ghislaine Maxwell is being held at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Carswell in Fort Worth, Texas," a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons said on 1/8. FMC Carswell is a minimum-security women's prison.
In 2022, 63-year-old Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a federal court in New York for her role in a sex trafficking ring involving underage girls with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, her former boyfriend. Maxwell was initially held at the Tallahassee Federal Correctional Institution, a high-security prison in Florida.
Authorities have not explained the reason for Maxwell's transfer to the less restrictive FMC Carswell. However, the move follows Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche's visit to question her about Epstein at the Tallahassee prison.
Blanche questioned Maxwell for two days in Tallahassee. The content of their exchange remains undisclosed, but Maxwell's lawyer, David Markus, stated that she answered all questions.
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Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Photo: ABC News |
Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Photo: ABC News
Maxwell reportedly offered to testify before Congress about Epstein in exchange for immunity and was also said to be seeking a pardon from President Donald Trump. However, Trump previously stated he had no intention of pardoning her.
Maxwell was subpoenaed to testify before the House Oversight Committee on 11/8. However, US media reported that the committee's investigation has been postponed indefinitely.
Renewed interest in Maxwell's case arose after several US lawmakers, including Republicans, demanded the Justice Department release the full "Epstein files," purportedly containing explosive information about Epstein's alleged "clients."
One of Epstein's victims, Virginia Giuffre, accused Maxwell of recruiting her as a masseuse for the financier, leading to her sexual abuse as a teenager. Giuffre also alleged that Epstein pressured her into having sex with other powerful men.
Epstein died by suicide earlier this year. Trump confirmed that Giuffre had worked at his Mar-a-Lago resort before her involvement with Epstein.
Born in 1953, Epstein was an American financier. In July 2019, he was arrested in New York on charges of sex trafficking dozens of minors, some as young as 14. He faced 45 years in prison if convicted.
Epstein denied all charges and was held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan, New York. However, while awaiting trial, he died by suicide in his cell in August 2019.
During his presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly pledged to release the "Epstein files" if elected. However, the Justice Department and the FBI recently released a memo concluding there was no evidence Epstein "maintained a client list" or blackmailed powerful individuals, as rumored, and decided against releasing the files.
Ngoc Anh (AFP, AP)
