Ghislaine Maxwell Honored at Clinton Global Initiative in 2013, Years After Abuse Allegations Surfaced

Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, was an honored guest at the prestigious Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) conference in September 2013, despite public allegations of sexual misconduct against her surfacing years prior. Newly uncovered photos, video, and documents reviewed by CNN reveal Maxwell received applause during a CGI luncheon for her ocean conservation work. Maxwell's presence at the 2013 CGI event occurred even after a top Clinton aide, Doug Band, reportedly instructed staff in an October 2011 email to "remove Ghislaine, from all lists" for Clinton-related events due to increased scrutiny of her ties to Epstein. A source familiar with CGI's inner workings described Maxwell's recognition as "rare, prestigious and an honor." The Clinton Foundation stated that over 600 complimentary admissions were approved for the 2013 CGI, with decisions made at the staff level, including President Clinton's office. A spokesperson for former President Bill Clinton downplayed her attendance, saying, "This is about someone working on ocean conservation attending a charitable conference 12 years ago, along with thousands of other people, and nothing more." The spokesperson reiterated that "the Clintons know nothing about Jeffrey Epstein’s terrible crimes." Maxwell attended the CGI representing the now-defunct TerraMar Project, an ocean conservation non-profit she founded in 2012. The organization was recognized for its pledge to support ocean inclusion in UN global priorities. Critics, however, noted TerraMar produced little tangible conservation work and gave no large charitable grants. Maxwell's connections to the Clintons predate the 2013 event, with archival photos showing her and Epstein visiting the White House in 1993. She co-hosted fundraisers for Hillary Clinton in 2007 and the Clinton Presidential Library in 2003, and maintained social ties, including vacationing with Chelsea Clinton in 2009 and attending her wedding in 2010. In a recent interview with the Justice Department, Maxwell claimed she helped conceive the Clinton Global Initiative and insisted Bill Clinton never visited Epstein's island, describing his plane trips as strictly humanitarian. Maxwell, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2021 for sex trafficking, is currently serving her sentence in a federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas.