Prison staff who leaked information about Maxwell’s preferential treatment have been fired, lawyer says

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Prison staff who leaked information about Ghislaine Maxwell’s preferential treatment have been fired, a lawyer for the convicted sex trafficker said.

Maxwell, a longtime associate of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was moved to a minimum security prison known as Camp Bryan after meeting with the Justice Department earlier this year. The DOJ interview followed backlash against the Trump administration for its handling of government files related to Epstein.

One of Maxwell’s lawyers, Leah Saffian, released a statement Friday saying that employees at Camp Bryan “have been terminated for improper, unauthorized access” to an email system that allows prison inmates to “communicate with the outside world,” following a leak of Maxwell’s “privileged client-attorney email correspondence.”

Last weekend, new details about Maxwell’s conditions at Camp Bryan came to light. Democrat Jamie Raskin, the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, wrote a letter to President Donald Trump “in light of troubling recent developments in the case of Ghislaine Maxwell.”

open image in gallery Prison staff who leaked information about Ghislaine Maxwell’s preferential treatment have been fired, a lawyer for the convicted sex trafficker said ( AP )

Raskin detailed the “concierge-style treatment” Maxwell was receiving, citing information received by Democratic committee staffers. This treatment included customized meals hand-delivered to Maxwell, a service dog in training to play with and Warden Tanisha Hall being used as her “personal secretary” when reviewing and editing documents.

The congressman also said, based on the information staffers received, that Maxwell was in the process of filing a “Commutation Application” with the Trump administration. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in a decade-long scheme to sexually exploit and abuse minor girls with Epstein.

Raskin’s letter came shortly after the media released private emails from Maxwell. NBC News shared those emails, which were originally obtained by the House Judiciary Committee.

In one email, Maxwell wrote to a relative about Camp Bryan: “It is a well managed well run institution with an excellent Warden who leads from the top…The food is legions better, the place is clean, the staff responsive and polite.”

“In other words I feel like I have dropped through Alice in Wonderlands looking glass. I am much much happier here and more importantly safe,” Maxwell wrote.

In another email Maxwell sent to her attorney, she explained a workaround she and the warden came up with to expedite her court documents.

“I spoke to the Warden about the problem with the mail…I explained that we have a deadline that hinges on the Supreme Court and that I was hoping to have 2 turns of the document before it files with the court possibly as soon as the end of the month.

“Her creative solution was that you EM/scan it to her and she will scan back my changes! Of course that is fantastic as it saves days and days.”

open image in gallery Maxwell, a longtime associate of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was moved to a minimum security prison known as Camp Bryan after meeting with the Justice Department earlier this year ( REUTERS )

Maxwell’s lawyer said in Friday’s statement, “It is clear that no effort to fact check the credibility or veracity of the so called ‘whistleblower’ was made by the Representative or his offices.”

Saffian also said Maxwell has not requested a commutation or made a pardon application as she is preparing a Habeas petition with a federal New York court related to “prisoners’ rights and conviction challenges.”

The attorney claims the new petition shares evidence not available at her 2021 trial.

When asked if he has ruled out a pardon for Maxwell, Trump told reporters on Air Force One Friday night, “I haven't even thought about it. I haven't thought about it for months. Maybe I haven't thought about it at all.”

The Independent has reached out to the Justice Department and Camp Bryan for comment.