Точка Синхронізації

Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a remote deposition with the U.S. House Oversight Committee on Friday to avoid testifying about her involvement in Epstein's sex trafficking ring. Appearing via video link from a federal prison in Florida where she is currently serving a 20-year sentence, Maxwell refused to answer a series of questions posed by lawmakers investigating the systemic failures that allowed Epstein’s decades-long criminal enterprise to persist. The deposition was part of a broader congressional effort to uncover the extent of the sex offender's influential network and the oversight lapses within the Bureau of Prisons. During the session, which lasted several hours, Maxwell remained steadfast in her refusal to provide new details regarding the high-profile individuals who may have frequented Epstein’s private islands or residences. Congressional investigators had hoped that Maxwell would offer testimony concerning the security protocols at the Metropolitan Correctional Center where Epstein died, as well as information on other accomplices who have yet to be charged. Despite the pressure from the committee members, her legal team maintained that her testimony could jeopardize her ongoing appeals process and potentially expose her to further criminal liability. This refusal marks another significant hurdle for the Oversight Committee, which has been attempting to secure cooperation from those closest to Epstein for years. While Maxwell’s conviction in December 2021 established her role in recruiting and grooming underage girls, many questions remain about the involvement of other global elites. Lawmakers expressed frustration at the lack of transparency, arguing that the victims deserve a full accounting of the facts that only a primary witness like Maxwell could provide. The committee is expected to review the transcripts from the non-cooperative session to determine if further legal mechanisms can be used to compel her testimony in the future.