Jeffrey Epstein Victims Criticize DOJ Over Ghislaine Maxwell Tape Release: 'It's Shameful!'

Women abused by disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein fiercely criticized the U.S. government for releasing audio of Ghislaine Maxwell, calling it a "calculated performance to win favor with the White House."

The tapes, made public on Friday, August 21, feature Maxwell denying allegations made by Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre. Survivors of Epstein's abuse lashed out, accusing officials of granting the disgraced socialite a "stage" to protect Donald Trump and other powerful allies of Epstein.

Released by the Department of Justice, the recordings showcase Maxwell claiming Epstein may have been set up on a date with Princess Diana while attempting to downplay his ties to elite figures. Survivors say these tapes — recorded during interview last month with Trump's deputy attorney general, Todd Blanche — are nothing more than a calculated effort to airbrush history and shield the wealthy from accountability.

Maxwell, now serving 20 years for facilitating Epstein's crimes, labeled a photo of her standing beside Prince Andrew with his arm around Giuffre as "literally a fake photo."

One victim, who received compensation from Epstein's victim fund, expressed her outrage to The Mirror: "This so-called interview is a disgrace. It's not about truth or justice; it's about rewriting history to protect powerful men. Listening to the tape and hearing Maxwell, it was obvious her words were carefully chosen to whitewash Donald Trump's friendship with Epstein."

"She's clearly angling for a pardon or a commutation of her sentence, and the Department of Justice handed her the stage to do it. We have been silenced for years, and now Maxwell gets a microphone to spin lies. It's shameful," they added.

Another survivor echoed the outrage, stating the decision to release the interview struck a painful chord for those impacted by Epstein's actions.

She said, "The release of these tapes proves once again that the U.S. government is more interested in protecting the reputations of the rich and powerful than delivering justice to Epstein's victims."

"Maxwell wasn't giving evidence; she was delivering a script. To me, it looked like a calculated performance to help her win favour with the White House. Every time they allow her to peddle this narrative, it rubs salt in our wounds," she added.

This renewed anger has reignited calls for a public inquiry into Epstein's extensive web of connections, which involved figures from Wall Street billionaires to British royalty.

Maxwell, now 63 and serving a lengthy sentence for s-- trafficking, raises concerns that the recent tapes could be laying the groundwork for a future appeal to reduce her time in prison.

Epstein, found dead in his New York City jail cell in August 2019, was awaiting trial on s-- trafficking charges when his death was ruled a suicide.

Meanwhile, Prince Andrew denies ever having sexual relations with Giuffre and has not faced any criminal charges.