Ghislaine Maxwell says meeting Epstein the 'greatest mistake' of her life

Ghislaine Maxwell, who aided the late Jeffrey Epstein in his sexual exploitation of minors, said meeting the billionaire "was the greatest mistake of my life."

"I said in my court statement that meeting Epstein was the greatest mistake of my life," she said in an interview with The Sun. "And obviously, if I could go back today, I would avoid meeting him, and I would make different choices." Speaking with the outlet while serving a 20-year prison sentence in Florida, Maxwell disputed the media's depiction of herself in connection with Epstein's exploits. 

"All this is a fictional version of me," she said. "It has been created to fit the storyline. It has absolutely nothing to do with who I am... I find it curious that so many people choose to contribute to the fake, created version, sort of like a Disney character, the Wicked Witch, if you will. The real people who know me and still love me have never spoken."

Moreover, the incarcerated socialite attributed the public falls of many of her associates to "cancel culture."

"There are many people who have been impacted by this story," she said. "Friends of mine who never even met Epstein lost their jobs. People who literally had nothing to do with him whatsoever have been cancelled."

Specifically, Maxwell pointed to the United Kingdom's Prince Andrew, a longtime associate who faced accusations of sexually abusing Virginia Giuffre while she was a minor. That case was later settled for a reported $12 million, the outlet noted.

"He is paying such a price for the association. I consider him a dear friend. I care about him," Maxwell said of the royal.