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US Justice Department seeking to interview Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell

US Justice Department seeking to interview Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell

The Journal14 hours ago
THE US DEPARTMENT of Justice is seeking to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, the accomplice of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as the Trump administration struggles to quell a furore over its handling of the explosive case.
The former British socialite is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted of sex trafficking of minors on behalf of Epstein, who died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial.
'President (Donald) Trump has told us to release all credible evidence,' US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement on X.
Statement from
@DAGToddBlanche
:
This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead. The joint statement by the DOJ and FBI of July 6 remains as accurate today as it was when it was…
— Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi)
July 22, 2025
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Blanche said an FBI review of the evidence against Epstein had found nothing 'that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.'
But if Ghislaine Maxwell 'has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say,' Blanche said.
Blanche added he was in touch with Maxwell's attorneys and he expects to meet with her in the coming days.
David Oscar Markus, Maxwell's lawyer, confirmed on X that he was in discussions with the government and said 'Ghislaine will always testify truthfully.'
'We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case,' Markus added.
The Trump administration's handling of the Epstein case has threatened to split the Republican's far-right Make America Great Again (MAGA) base, with some of his supporters calling for a full release of the so-called Epstein files.
Related Reads
Wall Street Journal barred from covering Trump's Scotland visit after Epstein letter report
What's contained in the Jeffrey Epstein files and what does it mean for those named?
The president sued media magnate Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal last week after it published a story on Trump's longtime friendship with Epstein
, a wealthy financier with connections to powerful figures.
Epstein was found hanging dead in his prison cell while awaiting trial on charges that he sexually exploited dozens of underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida, in what the New York medical examiner ruled a suicide.
-
© AFP 2025
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Congress to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell amid political firestorm over Jeffrey Epstein files
Congress to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell amid political firestorm over Jeffrey Epstein files

Irish Examiner

time21 minutes ago

  • Irish Examiner

Congress to subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell amid political firestorm over Jeffrey Epstein files

Congress will subpoena Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned sex trafficker who was a close associate of the notorious pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, to testify amid a political firestorm over the Trump administration's decision not to release its remaining Epstein files. Tennessee Republican Tim Burchett introduced a motion to compel Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence in a Florida prison for crimes related to the Epstein case, to testify before the House oversight committee. The move appears to skirt an announcement early on Tuesday that officials from the Department of Justice are also planning to meet with Maxwell. 'We got to send a message to these dirt bags,' Burchett said in a statement posted on X, referring to the list of clients and other Epstein enablers who are assumed to be included in the remaining Epstein files, the details of which are not publicly known. We've just got to get to the bottom of this thing, folks. It's four years and we don't need to tolerate this stuff any more. Soon after Burchett's announcement, Mike Johnson, the Republican House speaker, said he was shutting down operations in the chamber early, sending lawmakers home before a five-week summer recess. They were scheduled to leave Washington for their districts on 24 July and be out through the month of August, but will now leave a day earlier. The decision comes as Democrats and a handful of Republicans continue to press for files related to Epstein, sending regular legislative schedules into chaos. 'We're not going to play political games with this,' Johnson said at a news conference. Separately, a New York judge has ordered that the Trump administration must send more documents to support its call to release secret grand jury testimony from the 2021 Maxwell prosecution. T he Epstein issue has plagued the Trump administration. Picture: AP Photo/Alex Brandon Judge Paul Engelmayer said New York federal court would like to 'expeditiously' resolve the Trump administration's request, but that it could not do so due to a number of missing submissions, including 'why disclosure is being sought in the particular case' and 'what specific information is being sought for disclosure', he wrote. Engelmayer said the government must file a memorandum of law no later than 29 July and ordered Maxwell and the victims to file their positions on the proposed disclosure by 5 August. The Epstein issue has plagued the Trump administration as the president's own supporters buck him and clamor for more information, and as details continue to emerge about Trump's personal connections with Epstein, who was a friend of his for many years until they fell out. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had sent Epstein a lewd drawing along with a suggestive dialogue between the two men. The Trump administration responded by suing the newspaper and its owner, Rupert Murdoch. Epstein issues splits Capitol Hill The issue has also riven Capitol Hill. On Tuesday, the Republican-led House of Representatives, led by Trump ally Johnson – who recently undermined the president by calling for the release of all files, only to back down several days later – voted to start its summer holiday early in order to avoid Epstein-related votes planned for Thursday. Burchett said he had introduced the motion directing James Comer, chair of the committee, to authorize and issue a subpoena for Maxwell. Comer was 'down with it', Burchett said. 'I believe he's going to issue the subpoena. He's a stand-up guy.' He also acknowledged that he would receive 'blowback, and folks up here are going to be mad at me, but ultimately and with all sincerity, I'm gonna answer my creator on this issue'. Burchett told Axios that he did not consult Trump before calling on the committee to subpoena Maxwell. He has previously written to Comer urging him to bring Maxwell in to testify. 'She's the last one standing,' he told the publication. 'There's nobody else alive that can tell us anything.' He also said he believes Maxwell could 'tell us the operation, how it went down, who were the supporters of it … Ultimately I'd like to see justice.' Justice department sending US deputy attorney general to meet Maxwell The announcement came hours after the justice department said it was planning to send Todd Blanche, the US deputy attorney general, to Florida to meet with Maxwell. Lawyers for Maxwell said on Tuesday evening in a court filing that they had spoken to Blanche, Reuters reported. Last week, Trump directed the attorney general, Pam Bondi, to ask a court to release all relevant grand jury testimony in Epstein's case. Maxwell attorney David Oscar Markus confirmed on X 'that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully'. On Tuesday morning, Blanche also released a statement, posted by Bondi, saying that he plans to meet with Maxwell 'in the coming days'. Blanche's statement also defended the department's early July release, saying it was 'as accurate today as it was when it was written'. - The Guardian Read More Trump sues Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch over reporting on Epstein ties

Mum on death row for killing husband as son watched has 'disgusting' hobby
Mum on death row for killing husband as son watched has 'disgusting' hobby

Irish Daily Mirror

time21 minutes ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

Mum on death row for killing husband as son watched has 'disgusting' hobby

A British mum is languishing on death row, facing execution by hanging, for the murder of her husband after allegedly drugging his biryani and slitting his throat in front of their nine-year-old son. Ramandeep Kaur Mann, from Derby, was convicted of conspiring with her lover to kill her husband Sukhjit Singh, 34, while they were on holiday in 2016 with their two children, according to the Daily Mail. The judge at her trial at Shahjahanpur District Court determined Mann slit Sukhjit's throat after he fell into a deep sleep - aided by her lover Gurpeet Singh. The gruesome crime is believed to have been driven by financial motives. Prior to his death, Mann had taken out a £2million life insurance policy for her husband and was also set to inherit his property. Mann was found guilty in October 2023, with her son's testimony proving pivotal. Her lawyers are now arguing that her son was 'coached' to provide false evidence that he witnessed the murder, reports the Mirror. Mann's legal team has initiated an appeal with a document alleging that Arjun - now aged 18 - was supposedly instructed what to say by his grandmother Bans Kaur - Sukhjit's mother and Mann's mother-in-law. The Daily Mail reports that the document also alleges collusion with police and relatives to concoct the case against her. Mann has consistently denied committing the murder. She claims she was set up by her husband's family who, she claims, were the actual murderers of Sukhjit as they wanted to stop him from selling land he owned in India. Gurpreet Singh was said to be the killer's lover Currently detained at Shahjahanpur District Jail in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Mann is sharing dormitory-style accommodation with 55 other female inmates. Since her imprisonment, Mann has begun painting and her appeal emerges as fresh images show her displaying her creations whilst meeting local dignitaries, as her standing as an artist grows increasingly recognised. She encountered local officials who toured the jail earlier this year to commemorate India's Republic Day, just weeks following Mann's participation in a Christmas showcase of her prison artwork. Charity representatives have also visited Mann to observe her creations, which include a vibrant array of sketches and paintings, though not everyone welcomes the development of Mann's newfound artistic abilities. Bans Kaur, Sukhjit's mother, told MailOnline: "She does not deserve any applause and has no right to celebrate Christmas or any other occasion while I continue to suffer. I will be speaking to the jail officials about this. For the sins that she has committed, she should be suffering in a cell not being given a chance to paint and have a comfortable life. "She is a cunning and evil woman, and I don't believe for one minute she has changed. This [her art] is all being done for her appeal against the death sentence and is an attempt to win favour with the jail authorities. It's absolutely disgusting. "It's ludicrous to suggest that I 'coached' Arjun and got him to lie. He gave a very lengthy statement which had a lot of detail in it. How could we have got him to fabricate all this? How can you instruct any teenager what to say? We will be contesting this appeal because there is no doubt that this woman murdered my son. "I will battle to the end to secure justice for my son because what this woman did is unforgivable. I don't care how skilled she is at art or what a model prisoner she has become because it means nothing." Following his mother's conviction, Arjun told MailOnline he did not regret testifying against Mann and that he wanted to watch her hang. He said he witnessed his mother suffocate his father with a pillow before her lover Gurpreet hit Sukhjit in the head with a hammer and Mann then cut her husband's throat.

Joe Biden's son hits out at George Clooney for ‘undermining' his father
Joe Biden's son hits out at George Clooney for ‘undermining' his father

Irish Independent

time22 minutes ago

  • Irish Independent

Joe Biden's son hits out at George Clooney for ‘undermining' his father

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