Ghislaine Maxwell has avoided answering questions about her alleged co-conspirators in the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The associate and ex-girlfriend of late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein refused to answer questions during testimony before the US Congress.

MPs expressed dissatisfaction Ghislaine Maxwell, Currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for helping Epstein abuse young girls, she invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

“As expected, Ghislaine Maxwell won the fifth vote and declined to answer any questions,” Rep. James Comer, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee, told reporters. “That’s obviously very disappointing.”

“We have many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein committed and potential co-conspirators,” he added.

Maxwell has been called before the committee to discuss her ties to Epstein, but her lawyers have said she will only testify if US President Donald Trump grants her clemency. Lawmakers previously rejected requests to grant Maxwell legal immunity before testifying.

“She (Maxwell) used Article 5 as a defense, which is that under the U.S. Constitution you have the right not to answer questions because it could incriminate yourself,” Al Jazeera reporter Alan Fisher said.

“People are waiting for answers to important questions, but we’re getting nothing from Ghislaine Maxwell,” he added. “She did say, very briefly, that she had never seen any evidence that Donald Trump or (former U.S. President) Bill Clinton were involved in any illegal activity. Many people believed that was a deliberate tactic on her part to say, ‘Look, you bought my silence, but I want leniency.’ She appealed to both sides and said, ‘I’m going to remove the person you care about most.'”

In a letter released by Rep. Ro Khanna on Sunday, expressing frustration with Maxwell’s refusal to testify, Khanna noted that Maxwell had spoken with Deputy Attorney General Todd Branch, who served as Trump’s personal attorney, but did not invoke the Fifth Amendment.

“This position appears inconsistent with Ms. Maxwell’s prior conduct, as she did not invoke the Fifth Amendment when she previously met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Branch to discuss substantially similar topics,” he said.

Maxwell was transferred to a minimum-security prison in Texas after two meetings with Blanche last year.

Lawmakers including Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse called the decision “highly unusual” and questioned whether Maxwell “received special treatment in exchange for political favors” as President Trump’s ties to Epstein come under increasing scrutiny. Trump has strongly denied any wrongdoing and called the Epstein scandal a “hoax.”

Branch said Maxwell was moved because of “numerous threats to her life,” but did not provide details. Maxwell, who was convicted in 2022 of sex trafficking a minor, has asked Trump to commute his sentence.

She is the only person convicted of crimes related to Epstein, whose files reveal her ties to numerous individuals at the height of his political and economic power in the United States and around the world.