US House Staff Visit Ghislaine Maxwell's Prison Amid Claims of Favorable Treatment
Staff from US House committees visited the Texas prison where Ghislaine Maxwell is held to investigate allegations of preferential treatment, including use of a laptop and a puppy.
Staff members from the House oversight and judiciary committees visited the federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas, on Tuesday to investigate the transfer of Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, and allegations that she has received favorable treatment, Democratic lawmakers said.
In a statement, Representatives Robert Garcia and Jamie Raskin said the staff conducted an extensive tour of the facility but were repeatedly blocked by Bureau of Prisons (BOP) leadership when seeking answers about Maxwell's treatment, alleged sexual assault at the facility, and retaliation against whistleblowers. The lawmakers expressed serious concerns about the accuracy of information received and vowed to continue their investigation.
The BOP did not immediately comment on the visit.
Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein's sex trafficking scheme. Last summer, she was transferred from a Florida federal prison to the minimum-security Bryan camp, which houses about 635 female inmates. The move came about a week after she was interviewed by then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche about the Epstein case, amid growing pressure for transparency.
The transfer drew criticism, particularly from Democrats who noted that convicted sex offenders are typically housed in low-security prisons, not minimum-security facilities. Garcia told CNN that the warden admitted Maxwell is the only convicted sex offender among over 600 women at the facility and could not explain why she was transferred there. Garcia added that staff were not allowed to meet Maxwell.
“Uniformly, by the way, all the staff came back with the same conclusion, which is that this is a park-like campus, and Ghislaine Maxwell should not be there,” Garcia said. Blanche defended the transfer, citing threats to Maxwell's safety.
The visit follows a November letter from Raskin to President Donald Trump, citing whistleblower claims that Maxwell received customized meals, was allowed visitors to bring computers, and had access to a puppy. In January, Raskin and Garcia sent a letter to then-Attorney General Pam Bondi requesting a visit to the prison, noting over a dozen whistleblowers had come forward.
Allegations include Maxwell using a laptop unsupervised, possessing more personal items than other inmates, receiving bottled water while others drink tap water, and being allowed into staff-only areas to watch TV alone. Maxwell's lawyer, David O Markus, rejected the claims, saying humane treatment is not special treatment and that political prison tours do not move the country forward.
