Staff from the US House oversight and judiciary committees visited the Texas prison where Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, is serving her sentence, according to Democratic lawmakers.
Congressional Investigation
In a statement, Democratic representatives Robert Garcia and Jamie Raskin said staff from the committees traveled to the minimum security federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas, on Tuesday to seek answers about Maxwell's transfer and allegations of preferential treatment.
According to the lawmakers, prison staff provided an extensive tour of the grounds and programming. However, they claimed that Bureau of Prisons leadership repeatedly shut down lines of questioning or could not provide basic information about Maxwell's treatment, allegations of sexual assault at the facility, and retaliation against whistleblowers.
"We also have serious concerns about the accuracy and veracity of information received by our investigative staff," the lawmakers said, adding that their investigation would continue.
Maxwell's Sentence and Transfer
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein's sex-trafficking scheme. Last summer, she was transferred from a federal prison in Florida to the Bryan prison camp, which houses about 635 female inmates. The move came after Maxwell was interviewed by then deputy attorney general Todd Blanche about the Epstein case.
The transfer sparked backlash, especially from Democrats, who noted that convicted sex offenders are generally placed in low security prisons, not minimum-security facilities. Garcia said the warden told committee staff that Maxwell is the only convicted sex offender among over 600 women at the facility and could not explain why she was moved there.
Allegations of Preferential Treatment
Among the allegations are claims that Maxwell received custom-prepared meals, was allowed guests to bring computers, had access to a puppy, used a laptop without supervision, kept more personal possessions than other inmates, received bottled water while others drank tap water, and accessed staff-only areas to watch television alone.
In January, Maxwell's lawyer David O Markus rejected the allegations, telling the New York Times: "Humane treatment isn't special treatment, and political prison tours don't move the country forward."
Bureau of Prisons Response
The Bureau of Prisons did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Previously, the BOP said allegations of misconduct are taken seriously and investigated, and that its standards explicitly prohibit staff from providing preferential treatment to any inmate.
