Ghislaine Maxwell may testify before Congress on Epstein case; It’s happened before with other convicted figures

If Maxwell does appear, she would join a long line of high-profile convicts, from mobsters to white-collar criminals, who have previously testified before Congress.

Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking, conspiracy, and transporting a minor for illegal sexual activity. The possibility of her testimony comes as pressure builds on President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice to disclose more details about the Epstein case. Despite Epstein’s 2019 suicide in jail while awaiting trial, the case continues to dominate headlines due to his and Maxwell’s connections to prominent figures including royals, billionaires, and US presidents.

Maxwell has consistently claimed innocence.

The Trump administration has recently pledged “to release all credible evidence” surrounding the Epstein scandal, as per AP. However, that push hit a legal roadblock on Wednesday when a judge denied a Trump administration request to unseal grand jury transcripts from Epstein’s previous Florida investigation.

Convicted figures who have testified before Congress

Michael Cohen, 2019

In one of the most recent examples, Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen testified before Congress in 2019 shortly after receiving a three-year prison sentence for campaign finance violations, tax fraud, and bank fraud.

In his testimony, Cohen labeled Trump as a racist conman and accused him of orchestrating a cover-up involving hush money payments to a porn actress. He also said Trump misled the public during the 2016 election about his business dealings in Russia.

Michael Milken, 1993

Wall Street financier Michael Milken appeared before Congress in 1993 less than a year after serving time for securities law violations. According to the Washington Post, Milken was praised for discussing strategies to boost investment in urban areas during his testimony to the Congressional Black Caucus.

Milken had previously appeared before Congress in 1990 but invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying about his fraud schemes. He was later granted clemency by President Trump in 2020.

Jack Ruby, 1964

In the aftermath of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Congress sought to dispel conspiracy theories by interviewing Jack Ruby, the man who fatally shot Kennedy’s assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.

A seven-man commission questioned Ruby in a Dallas jail about his motivations and political affiliations. According to the National Archives, the commission ultimately concluded Ruby acted alone despite ongoing speculation of a cover-up.

Joseph Valachi, 1962

In a televised drama, Genovese crime family member Joseph Valachi became the first mobster to publicly acknowledge the existence of the American mafia.

Valachi, who was already serving a 15-year sentence for drug trafficking and faced a life sentence for a prison killing, testified under heavy security, escorted by 200 US Marshals, amid rumors that mob boss Vito Genovese had offered $100,000 for his assassination.

His gripping account of mafia operations have also inspired scenes in the 1972 film The Godfather Part II.

(With inputs from AP)