DEPOSITION OF GHISLAINE MAXWELL Giuffre v. Maxwell — April to July 2016
Ghislaine Maxwell was deposed over multiple sessions spanning April through July 2016 in the Giuffre v. Maxwell defamation case. The deposition transcripts were originally sealed and became among the most anticipated documents in the January 2024 unsealing.
DENIALS: Maxwell categorically denied all allegations of involvement in recruiting, grooming, or trafficking underage girls for Epstein. She denied knowledge of any sexual abuse by Epstein and characterized her relationship with him as purely social and professional.
Maxwell testified that she had no recollection of Virginia Giuffre and denied ever meeting her. She denied ever instructing anyone to engage in sexual acts with Epstein or anyone else. She denied knowledge of the "massage" activities that numerous other witnesses described.
PERJURY: The deposition testimony was later contrasted with evidence presented at Maxwell's 2021 criminal trial, where four victims testified under oath about Maxwell's direct involvement in recruitment, grooming, and abuse. The government argued that Maxwell's deposition statements constituted perjury. A perjury charge (Count 2 of the original indictment) was included based partly on these deposition statements.
KEY EXCHANGES: The transcripts revealed contentious exchanges between Maxwell and Giuffre's attorneys, with Maxwell's lawyers frequently objecting and Maxwell invoking her Fifth Amendment rights on certain questions while answering others.
These deposition transcripts were among the most heavily litigated sealed documents in the Giuffre v. Maxwell case, with Maxwell's legal team fighting aggressively to prevent their public release.