Jeffrey Epstein built much of his fortune by tracking down money stolen from some of the world’s wealthiest individuals, according to Ghislaine Maxwell, who revealed this during a July interview with the Department of Justice.
The conversation took place as pressure mounted on President Donald Trump and the FBI to release an Epstein client list.
Maxwell — Epstein’s longtime associate, now serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for sex trafficking-related crimes — claimed that in his pursuit of stolen wealth, Epstein worked with or on behalf of African warlords.
According to Maxwell, the idea for this work originated with one of Epstein’s girlfriends, though she declined to name the woman.
“She was the daughter of a billionaire, for instance. And that billionaire … had had some money stolen, and for some reason this woman introduced Jeffrey, and Jeffrey — I think that’s how that business started. That’s what I remember,” Maxwell told investigators.
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She added that Epstein’s work often brought him into contact with controversial figures.
“He showed me a photograph that he had with some African warlords,” Maxwell recalled. “That’s the only actual active memory I have of something covert.”
For years, questions have surrounded how Epstein managed to accumulate an estate valued near $600 million, despite a work history that seemed erratic and unconventional.
Epstein began his career as a cab driver before landing a teaching job at Dalton, an elite Manhattan private school, despite lacking a college degree. After being dismissed for poor performance, he was hired at Bear Stearns, where he stayed for five years until leaving under scrutiny for a trade that violated the Securities Act.
By 1981, Epstein began working independently, allegedly recovering stolen fortunes for wealthy clients — a role Maxwell now claims shaped his early financial empire.
Over time, Epstein cultivated a roster of high-profile clients, including Johnson & Johnson heiress Elizabeth “Libet” Johnson. Maxwell said he reorganized Johnson’s finances, managed her investments, and even drafted staff contracts. Payments for Epstein’s services were unconventional; in Johnson’s case, she transferred a multimillion-dollar Vail ski chalet to a trust controlled by Epstein. Property records show that the chalet was later sold for $24 million following his death in 2020.
Maxwell’s DOJ interview comes despite her past indictment on two counts of perjury, tied to her 2016 deposition in a civil lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre. Prosecutors alleged she lied when claiming ignorance of efforts to recruit underage girls for Epstein.
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During her latest interview, Maxwell maintained that she did not knowingly witness underage girls at Epstein’s properties, though she admitted it “could be true.” She also repeated her claim that the photograph showing herself, Prince Andrew, and a then-17-year-old Giuffre was fabricated.
Maxwell has since been subpoenaed to testify before Congress. Her attorneys say she is willing to appear but would invoke her Fifth Amendment rights unless granted full immunity or a presidential pardon.
In the interview, Maxwell also signaled her desire for clemency, offering strong praise for President Trump: “As far as I’m concerned, President Trump was always very cordial and very kind to me. And I just want to say that I find — I admire his extraordinary achievement in becoming the president now. And I like him, and I’ve always liked him.”
