Image courtesy of Getty Images/White House/Snopes Illustration
Since the 2019 arrest of financier Jeffrey Epstein on sex-trafficking charges, rumors have flown about his close associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell, as of this writing, is serving a 20-year sentence for helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. Epstein died by suicide while awaiting trial in his jail cell, according to the FBI.
Maxwell made news again in 2025 after asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review her case. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's administration faced backlash over its handling of the Epstein case — prompting a Snopes investigation into rumors that Maxwell offered to testify about Epstein's so-called "client list."
Rumors about Maxwell's alleged associations with prominent people — such as Trump and former President Bill Clinton — have circulated widely for years, often alongside supposed photo and video evidence. While many such photos are real, online users have spread fake versions to smear politicians and celebrities.
Here's a collection of 17 rumors about Maxwell that we've investigated. (For claims about Epstein, specifically, see this collection of rumors.)