Ian Maxwell defends sister Ghislaine, says she’s ‘on the right side of history’ in Epstein crimes
WASHINGTON, DC: Ian Maxwell is standing firmly by his sister, Ghislaine Maxwell as she serves a 20-year federal prison sentence tied to the crimes of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. In a recent interview, he argued that she was unfairly targeted and described her as a “scapegoat” who took the fall for Epstein.
He went further, insisting that she is “on the right side of history” and claiming the justice system treated her unjustly from the start.
Ian Maxwell claims Ghislaine Maxwell was made a scapegoat in Epstein case
Speaking to The Telegraph, Ian Maxwell said authorities and the media needed someone to answer for Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and chose his sister.
“My sister is the fall guy. Somebody had to pay the price for what Epstein did, and so the government and the media chose her,” he said. He added that he believes if Epstein were still alive, “he would be incarcerated and she would be free.”
Ian described what he viewed as an excessive show of force during her arrest. “They sent in a helicopter and 20 armed agents, as though she were a menace to society. It was unbelievable, totally shocking,” he said. “That was the moment my sister became a scapegoat for the dreadful crimes perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein.”
He also took aim at the legal proceedings, arguing that the trial “wasn’t fair, and her conviction isn’t safe.” “Ghislaine has done nothing wrong, and the length of her conviction is outrageous,” he added.
Ian Maxwell questions 20-year sentence and compares federal cases
Ian Maxwell compared his sister’s sentence to other high-profile federal cases, arguing that her 20-year term was excessive. Referencing Sean “Diddy” Combs, he said, “You have a situation where somebody like P Diddy stands in front of the same federal court on the same charge and receives four-and-a-half years for extreme physical battery, and my sister receives 20 years.”
He also suggested that women’s rights advocates should pay attention to the case. “There’s an argument here that feminists should really support Ghislaine because she is a woman who has been treated abysmally by the system,” he stated.
Despite her conviction in 2021, Ian said he believes there is still a path forward. “She’s now in the US equivalent of an open prison, and I know she helps other prisoners with their legal cases,” he said. “I genuinely believe that if she is released in response to her petition, and there’s still a chance that President Trump might respond to her plea for clemency — she would do something worthwhile.”
Ian Maxwell explains why he believes Ghislaine Maxwell was drawn to Jeffrey Epstein
Ian Maxwell also shared his perspective on how his sister became involved with Jeffrey Epstein. He said he met Epstein once and described him as “a very intelligent guy with a kind of dark charisma,” though “not clubbable.”
“He had a lot of money and was genuinely interested in science, technology and academia, which was a very familiar world to Ghislaine,” Ian said. “I can see he could have reeled her in relatively quickly, and then when you are in that kind of world, it’s not so easy to walk away.”
Ian also addressed allegations made by Virginia Giuffre, placing blame squarely on her and Epstein rather than his sister. “I know who the monster is here, and it’s not my sister; it’s Virginia Giuffre and her falsehoods that have had devastating ramifications for Ghislaine. I didn’t shed a tear when she died,” he said.
Emphasizing family loyalty, Ian concluded, “Blood is always thicker than water. The fact is, she’s my kid sister, and there’s no compassion for her; she needs to have someone on her side. That’s where family comes in.”
Ghislaine Maxwell, now 64, continues to serve her sentence in federal prison, while her brother remains one of her most vocal public defenders.
