From her low-security prison in Tallahassee, Florida, Ghislaine Maxwell, the only person convicted in connection with Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking empire, has begun speaking out more forcefully, insisting she was made a scapegoat while others who allegedly benefited from or enabled the abuse have escaped accountability.
Serving a 20-year sentence after her 2021 conviction on five counts, including sex trafficking of a minor, Maxwell has long maintained her innocence. In recent interviews and statements relayed through family and representatives in 2025, she describes herself as a convenient fall guy for Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 before facing trial. “I was not Jeffrey Epstein,” she reportedly told supporters. “I did not run his life, his homes, or his crimes.”
Maxwell now quietly points to unnamed powerful figures who frequented Epstein’s properties and jet, suggesting prosecutors focused on her to avoid pursuing higher-profile targets. While careful not to directly accuse individuals, her allies highlight Epstein’s extensive contacts—including former presidents, royalty, celebrities, and billionaires—many of whom were mentioned in court documents but never charged.
Victim advocates and prosecutors reject her narrative, emphasizing overwhelming evidence: four survivors testified Maxwell recruited, groomed, and sometimes participated in their abuse as minors between 1994 and 2004. Judge Alison Nathan, at sentencing, called Maxwell’s actions “heinous and predatory,” holding her fully accountable.
Yet Maxwell’s renewed claims coincide with ongoing frustration over delayed Epstein file releases and the absence of further indictments. Her supporters argue the case ended too neatly with her conviction, shielding others. As bipartisan calls grow for complete transparency, Maxwell’s prison-wall assertions add fuel to debates about justice served versus justice deferred in one of history’s most notorious trafficking networks.
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