Who is mentioned in this document?

Audrey Strauss, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, is the named recipient. Other prosecutors' names are redacted. The document references Ghislaine Maxwell in the attached press materials being prepared for her arrest announcement.

What does this document reveal?

The document provides insight into how federal prosecutors prepared their public messaging before a major arrest. It shows that by late June 2020, the SDNY was already preparing press conference materials, indicating Maxwell's arrest was imminent. The email notes edits were made to simplify language and shorten sentences in the draft remarks.

What happened at the Ghislaine Maxwell arrest press conference?

On July 2, 2020, Audrey Strauss announced Maxwell's arrest in New Hampshire on charges including conspiracy to entice minors to travel for illegal sex acts and perjury. At the press conference, Strauss stated Maxwell 'pretended to be a woman [victims] could trust' while 'setting them up to be abused.' She also notably said the SDNY would 'welcome Prince Andrew coming in to talk with us.'

Who is mentioned in this document?

Audrey Strauss, the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, is the named recipient. Other prosecutors' names are redacted. The document references Ghislaine Maxwell in the attached press materials being prepared for her arrest announcement.

What does this document reveal?

The document provides insight into how federal prosecutors prepared their public messaging before a major arrest. It shows that by late June 2020, the SDNY was already preparing press conference materials, indicating Maxwell's arrest was imminent. The email notes edits were made to simplify language and shorten sentences in the draft remarks.

What happened at the Ghislaine Maxwell arrest press conference?

On July 2, 2020, Audrey Strauss announced Maxwell's arrest in New Hampshire on charges including conspiracy to entice minors to travel for illegal sex acts and perjury. At the press conference, Strauss stated Maxwell 'pretended to be a woman [victims] could trust' while 'setting them up to be abused.' She also notably said the SDNY would 'welcome Prince Andrew coming in to talk with us.'

EFTA00015691

Internal DOJ email showing prosecutors preparing press remarks and Q&A materials for Ghislaine Maxwell's arrest announcement in early July 2020.

This email chain from late June 2020 reveals the behind-the-scenes preparation by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) for Ghislaine Maxwell's arrest press conference. Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss is receiving draft press remarks and Q&A documents from her team, with one prosecutor offering edits to simplify the language. The arrest occurred on July 2, 2020, making this document a rare window into the final days of preparation before one of the highest-profile arrests in the Epstein case.

Key Highlights

•Shows prosecutors finalizing press conference materials days before Maxwell's July 2, 2020 arrest
•Audrey Strauss, Acting U.S. Attorney for SDNY, was directly involved in reviewing press strategy
•Reveals coordinated preparation including remarks, Q&A, and visual materials for the announcement
•Names are redacted but the workflow shows multiple prosecutors collaborating on the messaging

Frequently Asked Questions

Books for Further Reading

The Spider: Inside the Tangled Web of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

Julie K. Brown

Investigative journalism that broke the Epstein case open

Filthy Rich: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

James Patterson

Bestselling account of Epstein's crimes and network

Document Information

Bates Range

EFTA00015691

Pages

Document Content

Page 1 - EFTA00015691

From: To: "Strauss, Audrey (USANYS)" Subject: FW: GM Press Materials Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2020 00:19:03 +0000 Attachments: Ghislaine Maxwell_Press_Remarks_v3_(ig_edits).docx I have some thoughts and edits on the draft remarks for your consideration in the attached version. As you'll see, they're principally geared toward simplifying some of the language and shortening sentences. Thanks. From: Strauss, Audrey (USANYS) Sent: Saturda , June 27, 2020 8:39 AM To: Cc: Subject: Re: GM Press Materials Many thanks. Sent from my iPhone On Jun 26, 2020, at 6:45 PM, Nrote: Audrey — We've put together some draft remarks and a Q&A for a potential press conference next week. The team is also working with the press office to put together a visual. Happy to discuss further after you've had a chance to review. Thanks, <Ghislaine Maxwell Press Remarks v3.docx> <Maxwell possible QA v2.docx> EFTA00015691