Maxwell to Plead Fifth as Epstein Files Ordered Released

The legal team for Ghislaine Maxwell says she will refuse to answer questions from the U.S. House Oversight Committee’s investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and the Justice Department’s handling of his case. Oversight Chair James Comer told Politico that Maxwell will invoke her Fifth Amendment rights.

Comer said Maxwell’s lawyers informed the committee she will not testify without immunity, which lawmakers are unwilling to grant. Maxwell is serving a 20-year federal sentence tied to Epstein’s trafficking network and is held at a prison camp in Texas, as noted in the Politico report.

The development comes as Congress and President Donald Trump have ordered the Justice Department to release its full archive of Epstein-related documents within 30 days. Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act on Wednesday, requiring DOJ to begin publishing all unclassified Epstein records, including investigative materials and internal communications.

Under the law, redactions are permitted only to protect victims or avoid compromising active investigations. Embarrassment or reputational concerns cannot be used as grounds to withhold material.

Comer told Politico it is now unlikely that investigators or lawmakers will meet with Maxwell at the Texas facility given her plan to plead the Fifth. He said the committee is preparing to rely more heavily on the upcoming DOJ disclosures and planned interviews with department officials.

The measure passed the House 427-1 on Tuesday and cleared the Senate by unanimous consent the next day before heading to the president for signature.

Victim-advocacy groups say the document release could surface long-sought details about Epstein’s network, including flight records, investigative timelines and materials tied to Epstein’s 2019 death in federal custody.

With Maxwell refusing to testify and DOJ now facing a firm release deadline, the committee’s attention is shifting toward what the documents may reveal.