Ghislaine Maxwell refuses to answer questions in Epstein deposition

Convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a virtual deposition before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Friday, refusing to answer questions regarding her involvement with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Currently serving a 20-year sentence in a Florida federal prison, Maxwell appeared via video link to address lawmakers investigating the systemic failures that allowed Epstein’s decade-long sex trafficking ring to operate and the circumstances surrounding his death in federal custody. The committee sought her testimony to clarify internal security lapses and the extent of the elite network that facilitated these crimes. Despite the gravity of the congressional inquiry, Maxwell remained consistently silent on nearly every substantive question posed by the committee members. Her refusal to testify centers on her constitutional protection against self-incrimination, a strategy frequently employed by high-profile defendants whose testimony could potentially expose them to further criminal liability or reveal details about ongoing investigations into other co-conspirators. This legal stance effectively stalled the committee's efforts to gather firsthand accounts of the internal dynamics within Epstein’s inner circle. The virtual appearance highlights the ongoing struggle for legislative transparency and accountability in the wake of the Epstein scandal. While Maxwell has already been convicted for her role in procuring and grooming underage girls, the House Oversight Committee remains focused on the broader institutional negligence within the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Prisons. By refusing to speak, Maxwell continues to shield the names and actions of those involved in the trafficking network, leaving many of the committee's questions regarding high-level complicity unanswered.