The family of Virginia Giuffre, a well-known survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, expressed their anger recently after the Justice Department decided to share transcripts from Ghislaine Maxwell’s hearing with federal prosecutors. The family’s reaction highlights their concern that this move offers Maxwell a chance to twist the narrative surrounding her actions.
In their statement, they insisted, “These transcripts contradict Ghislaine Maxwell’s conviction for child sex trafficking directly.” They emphasized that this decision undermines the bravery of countless survivors who risked their safety—including their sister—to secure Maxwell’s conviction.
Just last month, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche spent two days questioning Maxwell, who’s currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in sex trafficking, as part of a probe initiated during the Trump administration aimed at finding more details on Epstein’s abhorrent activities.
On Friday, the Justice Department released audio clips along with the transcripts of that two-day session, during which Maxwell denied several accusations levelled at her and Epstein, including serious claims made by Giuffre, who tragically took her own life in April.
Giuffre had accused Maxwell of grooming her for abuse by Epstein and facilitating her trafficking to various influential individuals, including Prince Andrew, Duke of York. In 2021, Giuffre initiated a lawsuit against Andrew for alleged sexual abuse, an accusation he denied. The allegations were later settled out of court in 2022 for an undisclosed sum.
During her recent testimony, Maxwell described Giuffre’s allegations regarding Andrew as flimsy and challenged major details in the case, including an alleged photograph of Giuffre with Andrew.
According to Maxwell, “I believe this whole situation was manufactured, and I can provide evidence to support this claim,” she told Deputy AG Blanche.
Maxwell further asserted that she had never seen any inappropriate behavior from any men, including former President Donald Trump. She denied the existence of any damaging ‘client list’ featuring those who benefitted from Epstein’s wrongdoings, maintaining her innocence after her 2021 conviction.
The Giuffre family has been vocally critical of the Justice Department’s ongoing dealings with Maxwell, particularly as the Trump administration pushed to uncover further details about Epstein’s notorious activities—a subject that intrigues many within Trump’s supporter base.
In late July, following Maxwell’s meeting with Blanche, the family urged authorities not to show any leniency towards her, labeling her a “monster who should rot in prison for life.”
There’s also the suggestion that Trump hasn’t definitively ruled out the possibility of pardoning Maxwell, a sentiment he expressed when asked last month, stating, “I can do it, but I haven’t given it much thought.”
While awaiting a pardon that may not come, Maxwell is actively seeking reconsideration by the Supreme Court, which might address her conviction appeal during a private conference in September.
In response to the transfer of Maxwell to a minimum-security prison after her meeting with Blanche, Giuffre’s family voiced their disapproval. “Moving convicted felon Maxwell to a comfortable, minimum-security facility sends a troubling message that child sex trafficking is tolerated and even rewarded,” they stated.
Federal authorities have transferred Maxwell, who was Epstein’s accomplice, from a mixed-gender, low-security prison in Tallahassee, Florida, to an all-female, minimum-security prison in Bryan, Texas. The Bureau of Prisons has not revealed any specifics regarding the reasons for her transfer, although the facility houses notable figures, including reality TV personality Jen Shah and the disgraced founder of Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes.
Meanwhile, the release of Maxwell’s testimony coincides with the Judiciary Department’s partial compliance with a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee for files related to the federal investigation into Epstein. About 33,000 documents were turned over; however, Democrats on the committee claim that most of these records had already been made public.
This article first appeared on NBCNews.com.
