File photograph: PA WireA United States judge on Tuesday cleared the US justice department to release grand jury documents in ‍the criminal case against Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is in prison for sex trafficking underage girls with the deceased financier. The documents could also shed ⁠more light on Epstein’s ties to rich and powerful people, including Mr Trump. He previously amplified conspiracy theories about ‌Epstein and vowed to release ‌the files but now says they are a Democratic hoax aimed at distracting from his administration’s accomplishments. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence ‌following her 2021 trial conviction for child sex trafficking and other offences, though she maintains her innocence. During ⁠an interview with a top justice department official in July, Maxwell said she never saw Mr Trump behave inappropriately.

Source: The Irish Times December 10, 2025 19:41 UTC