Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, was granted "limited" immunity by the Department of Justice during a series of secretive interviews conducted over two days by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The decision has intensified criticism of the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein investigation, as calls grow from both parties for full disclosure of related documents.
Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year federal sentence for sex trafficking, met with Blanche for nine hours and, according to her attorney David Oscar Markus, answered questions about "maybe 100 different people." Markus, speaking to ABC News, stated: "She didn't hold anything back." He added, "This is not a situation where we are asking for anything in return for testimony or anything like that. Of course, everybody knows Ms. Maxwell would welcome any relief."
The meetings were highly unusual in both scope and secrecy. Former senior Justice Department officials and prosecutors said it was unprecedented for the agency's No. 2 official to personally conduct such interviews without the participation of line prosecutors. "I've never heard of a deputy attorney general doing anything like this before," said one former official who spoke anonymously.
The DOJ did not confirm whether any specific names were discussed, but the interviews come amid heightened scrutiny over the administration's announcement earlier this month that a comprehensive DOJ and FBI review of Epstein materials found no justification to investigate further individuals. That decision, backed by FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, has prompted criticism for lack of transparency.
Victims' advocates also expressed frustration. Jack Scarola, a lawyer representing about 20 Epstein survivors, said he was denied the opportunity to attend Maxwell's interviews. Former federal prosecutor Mimi Rocah called the sessions "deeply unfair," adding, "The real people who could test her truth-telling are the people who worked on the case, not Todd."
The Department of Justice's granting of limited immunity means Maxwell's statements cannot be used against her as long as she is truthful. However, any lies would void the agreement and expose her to further prosecution. The immunity offer does not affect her current sentence, though her legal team is pursuing an appeal to the Supreme Court.
Blanche's role in the interview has raised additional concerns due to his personal and professional ties. He previously served as President Donald Trump's defense attorney and appeared on Markus' podcast in 2024, where Markus praised Blanche's legal acumen. Markus described Blanche's conduct during the Maxwell meeting as "amazing" and emphasized that his client was fully cooperative.
President Trump, asked on Friday if he was considering a pardon or commutation for Maxwell, replied, "It's something I haven't thought about," but added, "I'm allowed to do it." Trump deflected attention to others, saying, "You should focus on Clinton. You should focus on the president of Harvard... These guys lived with Jeffrey Epstein. I sure as hell didn't."
Trump is also suing The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch over their reporting on a birthday note bearing his name, allegedly compiled in a 2003 book by Maxwell. Trump denied the authenticity of the signature, calling it a forgery.
