Epstein Files Show Ghislaine Maxwell Held German International Press Card Despite No Record Of Journalistic Work

Photocopies from the latest tranche of released Epstein files show that Ghislaine Maxwell held an international press card issued in Germany, raising questions about how she obtained credentials despite no public record of journalistic employment.

German magazine Der Spiegel obtained a photocopy of the card, which names Maxwell, 64, as a member of the German Journalists' Union (DJU) and bears the logo of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). An inscription on the card reads "dju in ver.di, Germany", referring to the DJU and its parent union Verdi. The card shows an expiration date in 2017 and — based on that date — Verdi has suggested it was likely issued in 2015 or 2016.

If valid at the time, the international press card would have allowed access to German government buildings and official press events. Der Spiegel reports that the DJU issues international press cards only to its members in Germany, and that applicants normally must provide proof of full-time journalistic employment to qualify. However, the magazine said it found no evidence that Maxwell ever worked as a journalist in Germany or abroad.

Maxwell was convicted of procuring women and girls for Jeffrey Epstein - AFP

Union Response And Data Limits

Verdi told German media it could not explain why Maxwell received the credential. The union cited German data-protection rules and said application documents are routinely destroyed after the year of application, and that it keeps no records of member "transactions" older than ten years. As a result, Verdi said it is unable to locate application paperwork that might clarify how the card was granted.

Context And Reactions

Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in the United States after her conviction for procuring young women and girls for Jeffrey Epstein as part of a sex-trafficking scheme. The newly disclosed card has prompted renewed scrutiny as investigators and journalists review the files released by U.S. authorities.

"She has no idea... what new questions might arise from these voluminous releases so she will not dare to say anything in response to any questions for fear of being subsequently accused of perjury," said her brother Ian Maxwell, warning that newly released documents could expose her to perjury risk if she testifies before Congress.

Maxwell is due to appear before the U.S. congressional inquiry into Epstein, but she is expected to invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. The Telegraph and other outlets contacted the IFJ and Verdi for comment but did not receive an immediate response to requests for clarification.

Maxwell is the daughter of late media mogul Robert Maxwell - News UK/REX

Broader Speculation

The disclosure comes amid wider public speculation in reaction to the Epstein file releases, including unverified theories that Epstein or his associates may have had ties to foreign intelligence services. The presence of a German-issued press credential in Maxwell's files has not been linked to any intelligence activity; it remains an unexplained detail in the larger, evolving record.

Background: Maxwell is the daughter of the late media proprietor Robert Maxwell, who owned Mirror Group Newspapers. Robert Maxwell named his yacht Lady Ghislaine after her; he died in 1991 after falling from that yacht, a death later ruled accidental and in part caused by a heart attack.

At present, the provenance and purpose of the press card — including who submitted documentation, whether any verification occurred, and why it might have been issued — remain unresolved. Journalists and investigators continue to review the released material for additional context.