The 100 'big names' including Andrew Ghislaine Maxwell was quizzed about by DOJ - and bombshell that could drag Elon Musk into Epstein scandal
The 63-year-old convicted sex-trafficker - a former close friend of the Duke of York - answered all questions 'honestly and truthfully' as she was quizzed about Andrew and 'more than 100 different people' connected to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, her former boss and ex-lover.
While it is not known exactly what Maxwell said about the Duke, this is the first time she has ever been formally questioned about him. A source said: 'This is the first time anyone has asked Ghislaine about any of the men.
'She told the truth and didn't back away from any questions. She wants the truth to come out.'
Andrew has always vehemently denied claims by Virginia Giuffre that she was sex-trafficked to him by Epstein when she was just 17.
The Prince paid Ms Giuffre a multi-million-pound sum to settle a civil suit with no admission of wrongdoing. Ms Giuffre committed suicide earlier this year.
Maxwell is serving 20 years in Tallahassee Federal Prison in Florida for procuring and grooming young girls to be sexually abused by Epstein.
This week's extraordinary two-day meeting with US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche took place on the orders of Donald Trump, who has found himself embroiled in a huge political row by promising - and then failing - to release the full Epstein Files.
Now The Mail on Sunday can reveal how:
Maxwell is hoping for a full presidential pardon. Mr Trump, who is in Scotland, told reporters he is 'allowed' to pardon her but that 'it is something that I haven't thought about';
Elon Musk - Mr Trump's former 'First Buddy', who ignited the crisis by claiming that the Epstein files are being withheld because the President is in them - is sensationally named in the documents, along with his brother Kimbal;
Maxwell was granted 'limited immunity' for her cooperation, which included revealing what she knows about a host of other men, including former President Bill Clinton, Microsoft founder Bill Gates and powerful Wall Street titans;
Plans are under way to move Maxwell from Tallahassee Federal Prison because of growing fears over her safety. 'Everyone in the case is getting death threats,' a source said;
Mr Blanche will meet with Mr Trump after the President's five-day visit to Scotland to discuss a pardon or commuting Maxwell's sentence in return for her help prosecuting others involved in Epstein's sex-trafficking ring.
On Saturday night, a source familiar with this week's meeting said: 'Ghislaine has never told her story to anyone in government before.
'At times it was very emotional but she answered every question asked of her.
'The limited immunity deal is a huge risk for her because this case is so politicised she only has immunity so long as she hasn't lied. She answered everything truthfully but she is taking a risk.
'She was asked about a laundry list of people including Prince Andrew, Bill Gates, Les Wexner, Bill Clinton, Alan Dershowitz, Leon Black and a Who's Who of powerful Wall Street moneymen and financiers.
'There were Silicon Valley names in there along with world leaders, other non-British royals aside from Andrew and famous names from the world of showbusiness.
'It's ironic that Elon Musk kicked this whole thing off when he fell out with Trump and then made that post on X about Trump allegedly preventing the release of the full Epstein documents as some sort of 'cover-up'. Well, Elon is in there, as is his brother.
'It was a monumental moment for Ghislaine to finally be asked about these people and to tell the truth.'
Maxwell's latest plea to have her appeal heard before the US Supreme Court will be submitted tomorrow and she has been called to testify before a Congressional committee on August 11.
The MoS understands that if a deal has not been reached by this date she may have to plead the Fifth Amendment, which means she will invoke her constitutional right not to answer any questions which might incriminate her.
The source said: 'Of course she wants a pardon, what prisoner doesn't? But that isn't something which has been discussed.
'The President could commute her sentence in return for her cooperation. No one knows what will happen now. Todd Blanche will sit down with President Trump when he returns from Scotland and that is when the discussions about any potential deal will take place.'
Prison officials at Tallahassee Federal Prison, where Maxwell has been held since her 2021 conviction, are said to be 'terrified' about her being attacked or killed.
'The events of the past few days have made her the most high-profile prisoner in America,' the source added. 'She is likely to be moved very soon for her own safety.
'They don't want what happened to Epstein to happen to her.'
The 66-year-old financier killed himself in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex-trafficking charges.
Earlier this month, Mr Trump's Attorney General Pam Bondi released footage from inside the prison on the day Epstein died which caused outrage when it was discovered that at least a minute of footage was missing.
Many - including Maxwell and Epstein's brother Mark - believe that he was murdered.
The two-day grilling last week took place in a 10ft by 20ft conference room on the fourth floor of the Tallahassee Federal Courthouse. The MoS can reveal the full list of attendees for the first time.
Maxwell sat on one side of a long polished wooden conference table with her lawyers David Oscar Markus, Leah Saffian and Melissa Madrigal.
Opposite her sat the team for the Government, including Mr Blanche, Associate Deputy Attorney General Diego Pestana and FBI agent Spencer Horn.
An armed US Marshal stood guard at the door because Mr Blanche, the lawyers and Maxwell have all received death threats. 'The number of death threats have increased exponentially since this case has been back in the headlines in the past couple of weeks,' the source said. 'Everyone is getting them.'
Maxwell was spotted returning to the prison on Thursday carrying a cardboard box, prompting scores of headlines questioning what could be inside.
The source said: 'It should come as no surprise that the box was filled with legal documents. There are at least five million documents related to this case.'
Maxwell is 'exploring all her legal options' and is feeling 'a sense of relief' that her story is finally being heard.
'She has been silent for so long,' they added. 'She has always vowed to tell the truth and she did so this week.
'Where this all leads, only time will tell.'
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26 minutes ago
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