Jeffrey Epstein (left) and Ghislaine Maxwell (right)
Federal judge orders release of Epstein's accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell's grand jury records
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Judge Paul Engelmayer directs unsealing of Maxwell-related grand jury files.
- Release follows Trump’s signing of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
- Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking a minor.
- Florida grand jury transcripts from Epstein probe are also set for release.
A US federal judge on Tuesday ordered the unsealing of grand jury records from the investigation of Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein. Judge Paul Engelmayer cited a bill signed last month by President Donald Trump that requires the Justice Department to release all records concerning Epstein by December 19.
The move follows a similar order in Florida on Friday, where a judge mandated the release of grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation in that state. Epstein had pleaded guilty in Florida in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution and was arrested again in New York in 2019 on charges of sex trafficking minors. He died in pre-trial detention, with authorities ruling his death a suicide.
Maxwell, now serving a 20-year prison sentence for crimes including sex trafficking a minor, was at the center of the court orders. Trump, a former associate of Epstein, resisted releasing Justice Department files for months but signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act on November 19 under pressure from Congress. The law requires the release within 30 days of all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials held by the Justice Department, FBI, and US attorneys’ offices related to Epstein and Maxwell.
Trump and his allies had previously promoted theories suggesting influential Democrats were shielded from scrutiny while emphasizing the broader power and influence Epstein wielded through wealth and connections. A July FBI and Justice Department memo, however, stated that after an “exhaustive review” of the Epstein files, no evidence warranted further investigation, sparking political debate.
