Ghislaine Maxwell to Invoke Fifth Amendment During Congressional Deposition

Tue Feb 10 2026 01:03:29 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Ghislaine Maxwell's legal team has stated that she intends to exercise her right not to answer questions during her upcoming deposition with the US House Oversight Committee, citing the Fifth Amendment. This decision has raised eyebrows among lawmakers and could influence ongoing investigations related to Jeffrey Epstein.

Ghislaine Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, plans to invoke her right to remain silent during questioning by the US House Oversight Committee. Her attorney confirmed that she will read a prepared statement instead of answering questions directly. Congressional members are eager to question her about multiple co-conspirators involved in the Epstein case, as well as her ties to Donald Trump. Maxwell's decision has sparked debate over her previous testimonies where she did not invoke the Fifth Amendment.

Ghislaine Maxwell to Invoke Fifth Amendment During Congressional Deposition

Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, intends to invoke her right to remain silent during questioning by the US House Oversight Committee, according to her lawyer.

Maxwell is expected to appear virtually for Monday's closed-door deposition from the Texas prison where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking. I can confirm that she will take the Fifth, Maxwell's lawyer David Oscar Markus told the BBC on Sunday, referring to the right to avoid self-incrimination outlined in the Fifth Amendment of the US constitution.

Instead, Maxwell will read a prepared statement at the outset of the deposition, Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said.

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for luring underage girls for Epstein, her former boyfriend, to exploit. Epstein died in prison in 2019. She is seeking a pardon from Trump and has been accused of lying to federal officials.

In a letter addressed to Oversight Committee chairman James Comer, a Republican, Khanna said he plans to ask Maxwell about a court document she filed last year saying there were four named co-conspirators and 25 others who were not indicted as part of the Epstein investigation.

He also plans to ask about her and Epstein's social relationship with Donald Trump, and whether the US president ever discussed a potential pardon for Maxwell with her defense team. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection to Epstein.

Khanna noted that Maxwell's refusal to answer questions from the Oversight Committee is inconsistent with her previous conduct, as she had not invoked the Fifth Amendment during a meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche about similar subjects.

The deposition was originally scheduled for last August but was postponed after a request from Maxwell's lawyers. This session occurs as the US Department of Justice releases millions of documents related to Epstein's crimes.

The investigation continues, with survivors of Epstein's crimes pushing for more transparency on redactions and unreleased files, highlighting their quest for justice amidst ongoing debates of official misconduct.