The 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals has released the 2016 deposition given by Ghislaine Maxwell, a close friend of Jeffrey Epstein who is in jail on sex trafficking charges.

Maxwell gave the previously confidential testimony in response to a defamation lawsuit brought by Virginia Guiffre, which has since been settled.

Guiffre is among dozens of woman who have accused Epstein of sexual abuse and misconduct, sometimes against minor victims. The unsealed deposition appears to show that Maxwell tried to avoid questions about recruiting underage girls to provide massages to Epstein.

According to the documents, an attorney for the plaintiff asked Maxwell: “Did you ever invite anybody who was under the age of 18 to Jeffrey’s homes?”

After Maxwell’s lawyer objected, she answered: “I have a number of friends that have children and friends of mine that have kids and in the invitation of my friends and their kids, I’m sure I may have invited some of my friend’s kids to come.”

Maxwell is in custody in Brooklyn on six federal charges, including sex trafficking, perjury, and enticement of minors. Her trial is expected to begin in July 2021.

Read the full deposition here:

Ghislaine Maxwell Depositio… by EKilloran

[Feature image: AP Photo/John Minchillo]