Ghislaine Maxwell seen languishing inside prison cell in new Epstein files footage
Video footage of disgraced socialite Ghislaine Maxwell inside her prison cell has been issued as part of the Epstein files.
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Last Friday, the US Department of Justice released three million documents relating to paedophile financier Epstein, sending shockwaves across the world.
Ghislaine, close associate of Epstein, is serving 20 years behind bars after being convicted of conspiracy to transport minors to participate in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, transporting a minor to participate in illegal sex acts, sex trafficking conspiracy, and sex trafficking of a minor.
Video footage has been released showing Maxwell in a dirty cell wearing an orange jumpsuit. The video was filmed while she was awaiting a bail decision.
In the clip she can be seen taking a drink, tidying up her bed before lying back and reading a book.
A small box of personal belongings is on the floor along with some other clothes and a pair of flip flops.
She was found guilty on December 29, 2021. Last summer she was moved to low security Bryan prison camp outside Texas amid fears for her life. Her victims condemned the move.
The prison footage was released as part of the latest dump of the so-called Epstein files released by the US Government.
The handling of the fallout of the Epstein scandal has far-reaching implications and could see the end of Sir Keir Starmer’s time as Prime Minister.
Labour MPs are furious at his decision to approve the appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson to the role of British ambassador to Washington despite knowing about his links to Epstein.
Sir Keir admitted at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday that he knew about Lord Mandelson's ongoing friendship with the convicted paedophile when he appointed him, but said that the peer "lied repeatedly" about the extent of the relationship.
Downing Street then tried to control the release of potentially explosive documents, which provide insight into how the decision was made.
But in the face of a mutiny from Labour MPs - led by former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner - the Government had to back down and cede control to Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee to decide what could be released into the public domain.
Lord Mandelson - who has quit the House of Lords, resigned from the Labour Party, has been removed from the Privy Council and faces a criminal investigation following new revelations from the so-called Epstein files.
MPs approved the release of documents relating to Lord Mandelson's appointment on Wednesday, but a minister told the House the files would not be released right away, suggesting it could take weeks or months.
This is because the Metropolitan Police has asked the Government not to release documents that would "undermine" their investigation into the disgraced peer.
Sir Keir faced a backlash from his own back benches, including his former deputy Ms Rayner, over an attempt on Wednesday to have some papers "prejudicial to UK national security or international relations" withheld.
Labour MP Andy McDonald said he thought it was "reasonable to expect an answer pretty damn quick" on how Lord Mandelson passed vetting.
"It beggars belief that we could ever get a security vetting process that would sign off affirmatively on somebody in these circumstances," he said.
Labour's Mainstream group has called for a "clean break" after the "betrayal" of the peer's appointment to "one of the most powerful diplomatic posts on the planet" despite his friendship with Epstein being public knowledge.
The centre-left grouping, which is backed by Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham - long seen as a potential leadership rival to Sir Keir - said its members did not want to watch the party "succumb to the same old sickness" of "elite privilege, spin and toxic factionalism".
Labour peer Lord John Hutton, who served as a Cabinet minister under Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, said he thought the handling of the scandal could mark the end of the Sir Keir's time in office.
He told LBC it is "clearly" the end of Lord Mandelson's career, but added that "it could well mark the end of the Prime Minister's time in office".
He said he expected Labour MPs would be having some "very serious reflections" on the direction of government and cast doubt on whether sacking chief of staff Morgan McSweeney would be enough to fix the troubles facing Sir Keir.
He added: "I don't think the Prime Minister can be rescued by an avalanche of new parliamentary aides or aides in No 10. I think the change has got to come from the very top, not from the other ranks of the Government.
"And I don't know whether that change is possible tonight. It doesn't really look to me like it is."
The latest tranche of Epstein files released appear to show Lord Mandelson passing potentially market-sensitive information to the financier in 2009, while he was business secretary in Gordon Brown's government.
Lord Mandelson has been approached for comment and while he has yet to speak publicly, it is understood he maintains he did not act criminally and that his actions were not for personal gain.
The files also suggest that Lord Mandelson tried to secure a Russian visa for Epstein, with an email exchange showing Epstein asked how he could get a visa, to which Lord Mandelson responds that "Ben can get visas thru OD".
This is thought to refer to Benjamin Wegg-Prosser, the co-founder of Lord Mandelson's lobbying firm Global Counsel, and Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
Mr Deripaska hit the headlines in the UK in 2008 when it emerged he had hosted then shadow chancellor George Osborne and then European trade commissioner Lord Mandelson on his superyacht off Corfu.