Ghislaine Maxwell Agrees to Testify Before House Oversight Committee

LEAD - House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer announced that Ghislaine Maxwell will be deposed virtually under oath on Feb. 9, according to Comer and a person familiar with the planning.

CONTEXT - The deposition stems from the committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged sex-trafficking network following Maxwell’s 2021 conviction and 20-year sentence for recruiting and trafficking teenage girls, records show.

RESPONSE - David Oscar Markus, Maxwell’s attorney, wrote in a letter to Comer that "Ms. Maxwell will invoke her privilege against self-incrimination and decline to answer questions," and he urged the committee to grant legal immunity, the letter shows.

SCALE - The committee issued a subpoena to Maxwell in July, declined in July to offer immunity, issued a legal summons in August, and Congress ordered DOJ to release unclassified Epstein records by Dec. 19 though officials say only a fraction have been made public.

FORWARD - Comer said he "hopes she changes her mind," but Maxwell’s lawyers requested delay until post-conviction litigation concludes, leaving open the possibility of a nonresponsive deposition or future contempt proceedings.