Ghislaine Maxwell has told Congress she’s willing to testify about her role in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, but only under a strict set of conditions that include formal immunity, advanced questions, and a delay until her appeal is heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Her lawyers delivered the offer in a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Tuesday, following a subpoena requiring her testimony next month. If her terms are not met, the letter warned, Maxwell will invoke her Fifth Amendment right to remain silent.
Among the key demands listed: that she not be questioned inside the Florida prison where she is serving her 20-year sentence, and that the Oversight Committee provide all questions ahead of time.
Per NBC News:
The House Oversight Committee has rejected the terms set by David Oscar Markus for his client, Ghislaine Maxwell, to testify before Congress, in person, in exchange for Congressional immunity.
Committee chair James Comer (R-KY 1) had subpoenaed Maxwell for a… pic.twitter.com/OYyjFIMLCZ
— Taste Subjective (@TasteSubjective) July 29, 2025
Her legal team insisted the interview should occur only after the Supreme Court rules on her appeal, likely no earlier than October, and after she files a habeas corpus petition. “Surprise questioning would be both inappropriate and unproductive,” the letter stated, calling for a “fair and safe path forward.”
According to CNN, the committee quickly rejected her request for immunity. “The Oversight Committee will respond to Ms. Maxwell’s attorney soon, but it will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony,” a spokesperson said.
Chairman Comer himself was even more blunt, telling CNN last week, “I don’t think there are many Republicans that want to give immunity to someone that may have been sex trafficking children.”
Maxwell’s willingness to testify comes amid renewed public interest in the Epstein case and pressure on lawmakers to uncover the full extent of his powerful connections. But the convicted sex trafficker remains a polarizing figure, and her motives for offering testimony, while conditioning it on legal protections, are already being questioned.
Ghislaine Maxwell approached 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre at Mar-a-Lago, where she worked at that time, and sex trafficked her to Jeffrey Epstein.
When asked what justice would look like for her, she said “I would like to see Ghislaine stay in jail forever.”
Virginia died by… pic.twitter.com/Dezj4QrXh9
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) July 29, 2025
In 2021, Maxwell was convicted on five federal counts related to the grooming and trafficking of underage girls for Jeffrey Epstein between 1994 and 2004. Prosecutors argued that she played a central role in Epstein’s abuse operation, recruiting vulnerable teenagers under the guise of providing them with modeling or massage work.
She was found guilty of sex trafficking of a minor, transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and three counts of conspiracy.
Maxwell has maintained her innocence, claiming she was a scapegoat for Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 in what was officially ruled a suicide. Her supporters argue that her trial was tainted by media pressure and government overreach. She is currently appealing her conviction to the Supreme Court and preparing additional legal challenges, which her attorneys say would be compromised if she were forced to testify now.
The letter to Congress also accused lawmakers of prejudging Maxwell’s credibility. “Public comments from members of Congress appear to have prejudged Ms. Maxwell’s credibility without even listening to what she has to say,” her attorneys wrote, adding that her testimony is supported by “extensive documentation.”
Epstein survivor Sarah Ransome on Ghislaine Maxwell: “Ghislaine is as responsible, if not more than Jeffrey. I want Ghislaine behind bars for the rest of her life. Purely because she is that sick. The public are not safe with her on the street.” pic.twitter.com/cFTQ71COLD
— Marco Foster (@MarcoFoster_) July 28, 2025
In a dramatic final paragraph, Maxwell’s legal team appealed directly to President Donald Trump for clemency. “Of course, in the alternative, if Ms. Maxwell were to receive clemency, she would be willing—and eager—to testify openly and honestly, in public, before Congress in Washington, D.C.,” the letter read. “She welcomes the opportunity to share the truth and to dispel the many misconceptions and misstatements that have plagued this case from the beginning.”
Trump has yet to rule out the possibility. When asked about Maxwell earlier this year, he said, “We’ll see what happens,” and described her trial as “complicated.” He previously caused controversy during his presidency by wishing Maxwell “well” following her 2020 arrest.
With her next appearance before the Oversight Committee scheduled for August 11, the standoff between Maxwell and lawmakers may intensify in the weeks ahead.
