The Department of Justice released the complete transcript and audio recordings Friday of Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s extensive interviews with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, providing unprecedented public access to a high-level federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal network.
Unusual High-Level Interview
Blanche, who previously served as President Trump’s personal defense attorney, conducted the interviews over two days in late July at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida, where Maxwell was serving her 20-year sentence. The involvement of such a senior Justice Department official in prisoner interviews is highly unusual and has drawn scrutiny from Congressional Democrats who question the timing and motivations.
The 337-page transcript, marked as “redacted” only to protect victim identities, represents what Blanche described as a complete record. “Except for the names of victims, every word is included. Nothing removed. Nothing hidden,” Blanche announced on social media, citing transparency as the reason for the public release.
In the interest of transparency, @TheJusticeDept is releasing the complete transcript and audio of my proffer of Ms. Maxwell. The transcript and audio are linked below.https://t.co/TQW5migemm
— Todd Blanche (@DAGToddBlanche) August 22, 2025
Maxwell Family Intelligence Legacy
The Maxwell interview takes on additional significance given Ghislaine’s family history in alleged intelligence operations. Her father, Robert Maxwell, was a Czech-born British media mogul who, according to multiple intelligence sources and investigative reports, maintained extensive ties to Israeli intelligence services throughout his career. Former Israeli intelligence officer Ari Ben-Menashe and other sources have alleged that Maxwell worked as a long-time Mossad agent, reportedly helping distribute sophisticated spyware globally through his business network.
Maxwell’s mysterious death in November 1991, when he was found floating near his yacht “Lady Ghislaine” off the Canary Islands, was officially ruled an accidental drowning following a heart attack, but continues to fuel conspiracy theories about possible murder or suicide. The circumstances of his death became even more suspicious when Israel granted him a state funeral attended by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and every current and former head of Israeli intelligence, with Shamir eulogizing that Maxwell “has done more for Israel than can today be said.” His death came amid revelations that over £400 million was missing from his companies’ pension funds, adding financial scandal to the intelligence intrigue that has long shadowed the Maxwell family name.
Key Revelations About Political Figures
Maxwell’s statements provide new details about relationships between Epstein and several prominent political figures. Regarding President Trump, Maxwell told investigators she met him in the 1990s through her father and described him as “always very cordial and very kind.” She emphasized that she “never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way” and called him “a gentleman in all respects.”
When asked about the relationship between Trump and Epstein, Maxwell said she didn’t consider them “close friends,” noting “I don’t recall ever seeing him in his house, for instance.” She also stated she had no memory of Trump contributing to a reported 50th birthday book for Epstein, despite Wall Street Journal reports suggesting otherwise.
Clinton and RFK Jr. Connections?
Maxwell addressed speculation about former President Bill Clinton’s alleged visits to Epstein’s private island, stating definitively: “He never, absolutely never went.” She explained that Clinton wouldn’t have visited without her presence, and “I don’t believe he had an independent friendship, if you will, with Epstein.”
Regarding current Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Maxwell revealed she once accompanied him and Epstein on a “dinosaur bone hunting” trip to the Dakotas but “never saw anything inappropriate with Mr. Kennedy.”
‘No Client List,’ Suicide Skepticism
Maxwell directly addressed persistent conspiracy theories about Epstein maintaining a “client list” or “black book” of associates, stating unequivocally: “There is no list.” She claimed to trace the origins of such stories and appeared frustrated by continued speculation about nonexistent records.
Perhaps most notably, Maxwell expressed skepticism about the official ruling that Epstein committed suicide in federal custody in August 2019. “I do not believe he died by suicide,” she told investigators, though she provided no alternative explanation or evidence.
Political Controversy and Transfer
The interviews occurred amid broader political controversy over the Trump administration’s handling of Epstein-related documents. House Democrats, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin, have criticized the timing and questioned whether the administration might be attempting to “tamper with a crucial witness” or “coax Ms. Maxwell into providing false or misleading testimony.”
Following her interviews with Blanche, Maxwell was transferred without explanation from the Florida facility to a minimum-security women’s federal prison camp in Texas, raising additional questions about the circumstances surrounding her cooperation.
The release represents the Trump administration’s most significant transparency gesture regarding the Epstein case, though critics argue it may serve political rather than investigative purposes as the administration faces continued pressure over its handling of related classified materials.