Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre's family says Trump 'should never consider giving Maxwell any leniency'

Fox News

6 days ago

The family of Jeffrey Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre is urging President Donald Trump not to consider "any leniency" for Ghislaine Maxwell as she seeks a way out of prison for her role in the disgraced financier's crimes.
While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, Trump revealed Epstein "stole" Giuffre while she was working at his Florida estate decades ago.
"I think she worked at the spa," Trump said as he departed Scotland, referring to Giuffre. "He stole her, and by the way, she had no complaints about us, as you know, none whatsoever."
The revelation further peeled back the curtain on the narrative surrounding Epstein's years of sexual abuse towards underage girls before his suicide in 2019, especially for Giuffre's family, who have spent decades looking for answers.
"It makes us ask if [Trump] was aware of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's criminal actions, especially given his statement two years later that his good friend Jeffrey 'likes women on the younger side, no doubt about it,'" Giuffre's two brothers and her sisters-in-law told The Atlantic. "We and the public are asking for answers; survivors deserve this."
For years, Giuffre remained one of the key voices in holding those within Epstein's web accountable before she died by suicide in her Western Australia home in April.
Giuffre first came forward publicly with her allegations after an initial investigation into Epstein resulted in a controversial sweetheart deal that ended with the disgraced money manager receiving an 18-month Florida jail sentence.
"Virginia cooperated with the authorities," her family said. "She endured death threats, threats against the lives of her children and family, financial ruin, and her physical and mental well-being were destroyed. She never backed down; she hoped that her strength would inspire other survivors to find the courage to come forward."
Civil litigation brought by Giuffre alleged she was recruited by Maxwell while working as a spa attendant at Mar-a-Lago in 2000. Her family told the outlet what was supposed to be a fun summer job ended with Giuffre being sex-trafficked.
Trump has previously said he was not involved in Epstein's sex crimes. He and Epstein reportedly fell out of touch in 2004 – two years before Epstein's initial arrest – after Trump outbid Epstein on a coastal Florida estate, according to The Palm Beach Post.
The president also added this week that he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after he was caught poaching employees from Trump's staff – including Giuffre.
"He took people," Trump said. "I said, 'Don't do that anymore,' you know, they work for me. And he took beyond that. He took some others. And once he did that, that was the end of him."
"President Trump was directly responding to a question posed by a reporter about Ms. Guiffre – he did not bring her up," the White House said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The fact remains that President Trump kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his club for being a creep to his female employees."
Giuffre's family – Sky and Amanda Roberts, and Danny and Lannette Wilson – told The Atlantic they are still "reeling" from her suicide and are worried about Maxwell's bid for immunity in exchange for information.
"The government and the President should never consider giving Ghislaine Maxwell any leniency," Giuffre's family wrote.
Last week, Maxwell took center stage after she met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche to answer questions surrounding the case.
Days earlier, she was slapped with a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee asking her to testify on Aug. 11. Her attorney has since said she will only testify if granted immunity, which the panel rejected.
"If our sister could speak today, she would be most angered by the fact that the government is listening to a known perjurer, a woman who repeatedly lied under oath and will continue to do so as long as it benefits her position," Giuffre's family told The Atlantic, referring to Maxwell.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in procuring underage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse. She has recently appealed to Trump to pardon her sentence – a possibility the president has previously said is within his right to consider, but he has not been asked to do so yet.
However, a senior administration official told Fox News Digital that "no leniency is being given or discussed. That's just false. The President himself has said that clemency for Maxwell is not something he is even thinking about at this time."
Maxwell's attorney and Giuffre's family did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Maxwell's legal team is also asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal of her 2021 conviction – a decision the court is set to discuss in a private conference on Sept. 29.
In light of the recent conversations toying with the possibility of Maxwell receiving an incentive in exchange for her testimony, Giuffre's family is imploring officials to not take the bait, while asking the Trump administration to maintain its promises of accountability and transparency.
"The government and the President should never consider giving Ghislaine Maxwell any leniency," Giuffre's family said. "Maxwell destroyed many young lives, and she was convicted for only a fraction of the crimes she actually committed."