Ghislaine Maxwell makes dramatic claims about Jeffrey Epstein in new 60 Minutes interview

Ghislaine Maxwell has attempted to distance herself from billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his heinous behaviour in an explosive new interview.

Maxwell, a socialite and longtime companion of Epstein was last year convicted of sex crimes against underage girls and sentenced to 20 years behind bars.

But in a chilling new interview with 60 Minutes from her Florida prison cell, Maxwell said she’s not the person so many people and victims have labelled her.

“I’m (not) the cruellest, meanest, horriblest person who’s done, committed crimes. And I mean I literally haven’t seen any details that are accurate,” she said.

In fact, one of Maxwell’s brothers, Ian, said the family believe she has done nothing wrong.

“My sister is no monster. We believe in her innocence and that she’ll be exonerated in the end,” he said.

Ghislaine Maxwell, 61, who was convicted of sex offences for her part in Jeffrey Epstein's sex abuse ring, was interviewed on the UK's TalkTV channel last month. Photo / TalkTV / AP

Of her long documented association with Epstein, Maxwell says while she isn’t a victim, the two aren’t on the same level of responsibility.

“Well obviously I wish I had never met him I didn’t know that he was so awful. I mean obviously now, looking back with hindsight of course,” she said.

“Clearly the fact that I worked for him and that I spent time with him and knew him has devastated my life and hurt many people that I love and hold dear that are around me.”

She also shifted responsibility for impacted women’s trauma to police authorities who were on duty at the time of his death.

“I say that Epstein died and they should take their disappointment and upset out on the authorities that allowed that to happen,” she said.

“I hope that they have some closure by the judicial process that took place. And I wish them time to heal and to be able to have a productive and good life going forward and that’s what I hope for them.”

Maxwell was found guilty of five sex trafficking-related counts by a US court in late 2021 but her family have said they’re attempting to appeal the charges.

Epstein died in a New York prison cell in 2019 after an apparent suicide.

He had served a 13-month prison sentence for sex charges 11 years before and was arrested in 2019 for the suspected sex trafficking of dozens of minors in New York and Florida.