In a development that has reignited scrutiny over the infamous Jeffrey Epstein case, the Justice Department released grand jury transcripts that detail how FBI agents described Ghislaine Maxwell’s involvement in the abuse of minors. The documents, part of the ongoing release of the so-called “Epstein files,” have drawn renewed attention to the victims whose testimony secured Maxwell’s 2021 conviction.
Release of Transcripts and Justice Department
The transcripts were made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law enacted last month after months of public and political pressure. The Justice Department has been posting records in stages, acknowledging that it missed a congressionally mandated deadline to release all documents. Officials blamed the delay on the time-consuming process of obscuring victims’ names and other identifying information. On Wednesday, the department said it may need a “few more weeks” to release the full trove after discovering more than a million potentially relevant documents.
A 119-page document marked “Grand Jury-NY” was initially released with heavy redactions, entirely blacked out. Updated versions were posted over the weekend, but the bulk of the material remains heavily obscured.
Maxwell’s Habeas Petition and Judge’s Response
Two weeks ago, as the Justice Department prepared to begin releasing the files, Maxwell filed a habeas petition asking a federal judge to free her on the grounds that “substantial new evidence” has emerged proving that constitutional violations spoiled her trial. She claimed exonerating information was withheld and that witnesses lied in their testimony. Maxwell filed the petition on her own, without the assistance of a lawyer.
This week, Judge Paul A. Engelmayer scolded Maxwell for failing to remove victim names and other identifying information from her court papers. He said future filings must be kept sealed and out of public view until they have been reviewed and redacted to protect victims’ identities.
Victims’ Reactions
Epstein accuser Danielle Bensky said the release of records has only sharpened the focus on Maxwell’s crimes among their victims. “I’ve heard things that would make your blood curdle,” Bensky said. She added that she’s been involved in daily discussions with about two dozen other victims that make clear Maxwell “is a criminal who was 1,000% engaged in sexual acts.”
Bensky also said she was sexually abused by Epstein two decades ago, but she was never personally abused by Maxwell. She described a conversation with a survivor who said she was “the puppeteer.”
FBI Agent Testimony
An FBI agent’s grand jury testimony, describing interviews conducted with Epstein victims, foreshadowed trial testimony a year later from four women who described Maxwell’s role in their sexual abuse from 1994 to 2004. The agent told of a woman who described meeting Maxwell and Epstein as a 14-year-old attending a Michigan summer arts camp in 1994. Flight logs showed Epstein and Maxwell went to the school sponsoring the camp because Epstein was a donor.
According to the agent, whose name was redacted from the transcript, the girl had a chance encounter with Epstein and Maxwell one day. After learning that the girl was from Palm Beach, Florida, Epstein mentioned that he sometimes gave scholarships to students and they requested her phone number.
Once home, the girl visited Epstein’s estate with her mother for tea and the mother was impressed when Epstein said he provided scholarships, enough so that the mother said Epstein was like a “godfather.” The agent said the girl began regularly going to the estate as Epstein and Maxwell “groomed” her with gifts and trips to the movies, and Epstein began paying for voice lessons and giving her money that he said she should give to her struggling mother.
The agent said the girl thought her relationship with Epstein and Maxwell was strange, “but Maxwell normalized it for her. She was like a cool, older sister and made comments like, ‘This is what grownups do.'” Eventually, the agent testified, the girl saw Maxwell topless at the pool. After she revealed that she hoped to be an actor and a model, Epstein told her he was best friends with the owner of Victoria’s Secret and that she’ll have to learn to be comfortable in her underwear and not be a prude.
Then, the agent said, the girl asked Epstein what he meant by that and the financier pulled her into his lap and masturbated. After that, the agent added, the girl’s encounters with Epstein began to include sexual contact, particularly in his massage room.
Maxwell was sometimes there with other girls, the agent said. One of the girls would begin massaging Epstein and Maxwell would tease the girls. “She’d grab the girl’s breasts, and she would direct the girls on what to do,” the agent said. Maxwell’s attitude during the encounters was “very casual; she acted like this was normal.”
The released testimony appeared to reflect the testimony at Maxwell’s 2021 trial by a woman who testified under the pseudonym “Jane.” At trial, Jane said Maxwell also participated in group sessions between multiple females and Epstein that usually began with Epstein or Maxwell leading them all into a bedroom or a massage room at the Palm Beach residence.
Key Takeaways
- The Justice Department’s release of grand jury transcripts has refocused attention on victims’ accounts that led to Maxwell’s conviction.
- Maxwell’s habeas petition claims new evidence and alleged witness misconduct, but a judge has demanded stricter redaction of victim identities.
- An FBI agent’s testimony describes a pattern of grooming, sexual contact, and Maxwell’s casual attitude toward the abuse.
The public unveiling of these documents underscores the enduring scrutiny of the Epstein case and the ongoing efforts to protect the identities of those who endured the abuse.
