Chelsea Clinton denies close ties to Jeffrey Epstein’s ex
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Chelsea Clinton echoed her ex-president father in denying an association with Jeffrey Epstein and reports that she was a close friend of Ghislaine Maxwell, the wealthy financier’s former girlfriend -- who settled at least two lawsuits over sex-related allegations.
Epstein, 66, was arrested July 6 on sex trafficking charges. He pleaded not guilty to accusations he ran a trafficking operation involving teens.
He allegedly created and maintained a "vast network" and operation from 2002 "up to and including" 2005, enabling him to "sexually exploit and abuse dozens of underage girls" in addition to paying victims to recruit other girls.
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Chelsea Clinton is seen in Universal City, Calif., Oct. 9, 2018. (Getty Images)
Since his arrest, many prominent figures have come forward to deny their association with Epstein, most notably former President Bill Clinton, who said he “knows nothing” about the allegations and took just a few trips on Epstein’s airplane.
But now the former first daughter also has issued a statement amid a Politico report that Maxwell, who was not charged but reportedly settled two lawsuits filed by women who claimed she participated in the alleged sex trafficking, has been close to the Clinton family.
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Maxwell reportedly became friends with Chelsea Clinton, vacationing together on a yacht in 2009 and attending Chelsea’s wedding to Marc Mezvinsky in 2010.
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“Ghislaine was the contact between Epstein and Clinton,” a person familiar with the relationship told the outlet. “She ended up being close to the family because she and Chelsea ended up becoming close.”
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The spokesperson for Chelsea Clinton and her husband told Politico that the couple wasn’t aware of Maxwell’s alleged involvement in Epstein’s sex trafficking ring.
“It wasn’t until 2015 that Chelsea and (her husband) Marc became aware of the horrific allegations against Ghislaine Maxwell and hope that all the victims find justice,” the spokesperson said.
“Chelsea and Marc were friendly with her because of her relationship with a dear friend of theirs. When that relationship ended, Chelsea and Marc’s friendship with her ended as well.”
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"It wasn’t until 2015 that Chelsea and (her husband) Marc became aware of the horrific allegations against Ghislaine Maxwell and hope that all the victims find justice."
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Bill Clinton’s spokesman issued a similar statement after Epstein’s arrest, claiming he “knows nothing” about the “terrible crimes” allegedly committed by Epstein.
"In 2002 and 2003, President Clinton took a total of four trips on Jeffrey Epstein’s airplane: one to Europe, one to Asia, and two to Africa, which included stops in connection with the work of the Clinton Foundation," the statement said.
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"Staff, supporters of the foundation, and his Secret Service detail traveled on every leg of every trip. He had one meeting with Epstein in his Harlem office in 2002, and around the same time made one brief visit to Epstein’s New York apartment with a staff member and his security detail. He’s not spoken to Epstein in well over a decade, and he has never been to Little St. James Island, Epstein’s ranch in New Mexico, or his residence in Florida.”