University of Maine Strips George Mitchell’s Name Over Epstein Ties (9/30/26)

Judge Paul Engelmayer rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s attempt to overturn her conviction and 20-year prison sentence, dismantling the arguments she raised in a sprawling petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. Maxwell claimed that newly released Epstein-related records, alleged prosecutorial misconduct, false testimony and withheld evidence demonstrated that her trial had resulted in a miscarriage of justice. Engelmayer was unequivocal, finding that nearly all of her claims were either procedurally barred because they had already been raised or could have been raised on appeal, or were simply unsupported by the record. He described the evidence presented against Maxwell at trial as overwhelming and concluded that the purportedly new material she relied upon did not undermine the jury’s verdict.Engelmayer also found that much of the material Maxwell portrayed as exculpatory was either irrelevant or actually reinforced the case against her. He rejected all 10 principal claims in her petition, denied her request for an evidentiary hearing and refused additional discovery, concluding that she had failed to show any constitutional violation warranting relief. The court also declined to issue a certificate of appealability and certified that an appeal would not be taken in good faith for purposes of proceeding without paying filing fees. The August 25, 2026 ruling therefore left Maxwell’s conviction and sentence fully intact while closing one of her remaining avenues for challenging the verdict in federal court.to contacct me:[email protected] a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Judge Paul Engelmayer rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s attempt to overturn her conviction and 20-year prison sentence, dismantling the arguments she raised in a sprawling petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. Maxwell claimed that newly released Epstein-related records, alleged prosecutorial misconduct, false testimony and withheld evidence demonstrated that her trial had resulted in a miscarriage of justice. Engelmayer was unequivocal, finding that nearly all of her claims were either procedurally barred because they had already been raised or could have been raised on appeal, or were simply unsupported by the record. He described the evidence presented against Maxwell at trial as overwhelming and concluded that the purportedly new material she relied upon did not undermine the jury’s verdict.Engelmayer also found that much of the material Maxwell portrayed as exculpatory was either irrelevant or actually reinforced the case against her. He rejected all 10 principal claims in her petition, denied her request for an evidentiary hearing and refused additional discovery, concluding that she had failed to show any constitutional violation warranting relief. The court also declined to issue a certificate of appealability and certified that an appeal would not be taken in good faith for purposes of proceeding without paying filing fees. The August 25, 2026 ruling therefore left Maxwell’s conviction and sentence fully intact while closing one of her remaining avenues for challenging the verdict in federal court.to contacct me:[email protected] a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

The University of Maine System voted to strip former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell’s name from university programs and honors after renewed scrutiny of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The Board of Trustees voted 9-5, with one abstention, to remove Mitchell’s name from the George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions and the George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship. The decision followed a university task force review prompted by newly released Epstein-related records, which showed Mitchell’s name appearing hundreds of times and documented continued contact with Epstein after Epstein’s 2008 conviction. The task force stressed that it was not making a finding that Mitchell had committed wrongdoing, but concluded that keeping his name attached to university institutions could damage public trust and the university’s reputation.The controversy went beyond simple association. Virginia Giuffre had previously alleged that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell trafficked her to Mitchell while she was underage, an allegation Mitchell repeatedly denied, saying he never met Giuffre and had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct. Additional records later revealed a 2003 birthday-book message attributed to Mitchell describing his friendship with Epstein as one of the “blessings” in his life. Nearly three-quarters of people who submitted comments during the university’s review supported removing Mitchell’s name, and the University of Maine ultimately joined other institutions that had already begun distancing themselves from him, including Queen’s University Belfast and institutions in Maine.to contact me:[email protected]:Democrat suffers humiliating blow after his close relationship with Jeffrey Epstein was exposed | Daily Mail OnlineBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Norway’s parliament has opened public hearings into Jeffrey Epstein’s connections with Norwegian politicians and diplomats after newly released U.S. records exposed a wider web of relationships between Epstein and members of the country’s political and diplomatic elite. The parliament’s scrutiny and constitutional affairs committee has summoned 11 current and former foreign and development ministers, including Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who served as foreign minister from 2005 to 2012. Former foreign minister Børge Brende, who resigned as president and CEO of the World Economic Forum after revelations about his relationship with Epstein, is also expected to testify. Brende has said he did not know about Epstein’s criminal past when they first met in 2018 and has expressed regret that he did not investigate him more thoroughly.The hearings are part of a much broader reckoning in Norway, where several other prominent figures with Epstein ties are under police investigation on corruption allegations, including former prime minister Thorbjørn Jagland, former minister Terje Rød-Larsen and former diplomat Mona Juul. All three have denied criminal wrongdoing. Crown Princess Mette-Marit has also apologized for her friendship with Epstein, though she is not part of the parliamentary hearing. At the same time, parliament has created an external commission of academics and legal experts to examine more than 30 years of Norwegian diplomatic history and determine how these relationships developed, with the stated goal of restoring integrity and transparency in government institutions. The commission is expected to report its findings in early 2028.to contact me:[email protected]:Norway’s parliament probes Epstein links to politicians, diplomatsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

A federal judge in Manhattan ruled that FirstBank Puerto Rico and its parent company, First BanCorp, must face most of a lawsuit accusing the bank of helping sustain Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation for more than two decades. U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff rejected the bank’s effort to dismiss the central claim brought under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, allowing survivor Julia Molchonova to continue arguing that FirstBank knowingly benefited from participating in Epstein’s trafficking venture. The lawsuit alleges that FirstBank maintained more than 30 accounts tied to Epstein, his companies and associates from at least 1998 through 2020, including a primary Epstein account that remained open until October 2019. It also claims the bank processed at least $21 million in wire transfers involving Epstein accounts between 2013 and his death in 2019, while continuing to provide services even after his 2008 conviction.Rakoff also allowed a claim under New York City’s Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act to move forward, although he dismissed a separate claim accusing FirstBank of obstructing enforcement of the federal trafficking law. FirstBank has denied the allegations and says it merely provided routine banking services without knowledge of Epstein’s trafficking operation. Molchonova is seeking to turn the case into a class action on behalf of women who say they were sexually abused or trafficked by Epstein or his associates, with a class-certification hearing scheduled for October 15. The ruling puts FirstBank alongside JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank and Bank of America as another major financial institution forced to defend its relationship with Epstein and explain why it continued doing business with him despite his criminal history and the warning signs surrounding his accounts.to contact me:[email protected]:FirstBank Must Face Epstein Survivors’ Sex Trafficking Lawsuit, Judge Rules | Law CommentaryBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

There was repeated speculation that Ghislaine Maxwell might eventually write a memoir or autobiography giving her version of her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the criminal case against her and the years she spent moving through elite social circles. Reports suggested that Maxwell had considered telling her story from prison, potentially addressing Epstein, Prince Andrew, her prosecution and the people who surrounded them. The possibility attracted attention because Maxwell has continued to dispute aspects of the case against her and has portrayed herself as unfairly blamed for Epstein’s crimes, making a memoir an obvious vehicle for her to try to reshape the public record.But despite the recurring talk, no Maxwell autobiography or memoir has been published to date. There has been no confirmed release, no completed book made public and no definitive publishing announcement that resulted in an actual memoir reaching readers. The idea has surfaced periodically in media reports and speculation, but it has remained just that: a potential project rather than a finished work. As of now, Maxwell has given interviews and made statements through legal filings and other channels, but the long-discussed memoir that might offer her full account of the Epstein saga has never come to fruition.to contact me:[email protected] a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

For many Americans, Congress’s performance on Jeffrey Epstein transparency and accountability has been deeply unsatisfying. Lawmakers have held hearings, issued subpoenas, demanded records and publicly promised greater disclosure, but the broader public remains highly skeptical that the government has fully come clean. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published in February 2026 found that 75 percent of Americans believed the federal government was probably or definitely hiding information about Epstein’s alleged clients, while 69 percent said the Epstein files reinforced the belief that powerful people in the United States are rarely held accountable. That distrust cuts across party lines, suggesting that the frustration surrounding Epstein is not confined to one political faction.Congress has also been operating against a backdrop of historically low public confidence. A July 2026 Pew survey found that only 25 percent of Americans viewed Congress favorably, while 72 percent viewed it unfavorably. In the Epstein context, that broader distrust has been compounded by years of delayed disclosures, heavily redacted records, incomplete document releases and repeated fights over what the public is entitled to see. The result is a widespread perception that congressional action has produced far more hearings, letters and promises than actual resolution, while the central questions about Epstein’s network, institutional enablers and the full scope of government knowledge remain unresolved.to contat me;[email protected] a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

After Jeffrey Epstein was accused of sexually abusing girls, he increasingly leaned on philanthropy, science and elite institutions as a form of reputational armor. He donated money to universities, researchers, scientists and charitable causes, cultivated relationships with prominent academics and intellectuals, and promoted himself as a benefactor of cutting-edge science and humanitarian work. That image helped surround him with respected institutions and influential people even after his 2008 conviction, allowing Epstein to present himself not simply as a disgraced financier, but as a patron of science and philanthropy whose money still opened doors.Every donation, dinner, academic relationship and institutional connection helped reinforce the image of a man still accepted by powerful circles despite his criminal history. Critics later argued that some institutions were far too willing to take his money and access while overlooking what was already publicly known about him. In that sense, Epstein’s philanthropy functioned like armor around his reputation, helping insulate him from the full consequences of the abuse allegations and allowing him to remain connected to elite networks long after he should have become untouchable.to contact me:[email protected] a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

During the Office of Inspector General investigation into the death of Jeffrey Epstein at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in August 2019, correctional officer Tova Noel gave an interview describing how the morning unfolded when Epstein was discovered in his cell. According to her account, she and fellow officer Michael Thomas were assigned to monitor the Special Housing Unit overnight. Noel told investigators that when breakfast rounds began that morning, Thomas approached Epstein’s cell and noticed something was wrong. She said Thomas called out for assistance and that she moved toward the area, where Epstein was found hanging from a strip of bedding tied to the top bunk. Noel stated that Thomas entered the cell first and attempted to cut the ligature while she retrieved equipment to assist, after which they lowered Epstein to the floor so CPR could begin.However, the OIG investigation was highly critical of Noel’s conduct and the credibility of the circumstances she described. Investigators determined that Noel and Thomas had failed to perform the legally required inmate counts and physical security checks for hours during the night Epstein died, leaving him unmonitored in a high-risk suicide watch environment. The report also found that Noel later signed official count sheets falsely indicating that the checks had been completed, despite evidence showing they had not been. Surveillance records and other evidence suggested the officers spent large portions of the shift away from their assigned duties, and investigators concluded that their negligence created the conditions that allowed Epstein to remain unattended long enough to die. As a result, Noel’s interview with OIG was viewed less as a clear explanation of events and more as part of a broader record showing severe procedural failures and falsified documentation at the very time Epstein required the highest level of supervision.to contact me:[email protected]:EFTA00117759.pdfBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

During the Office of Inspector General investigation into the death of Jeffrey Epstein at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in August 2019, correctional officer Tova Noel gave an interview describing how the morning unfolded when Epstein was discovered in his cell. According to her account, she and fellow officer Michael Thomas were assigned to monitor the Special Housing Unit overnight. Noel told investigators that when breakfast rounds began that morning, Thomas approached Epstein’s cell and noticed something was wrong. She said Thomas called out for assistance and that she moved toward the area, where Epstein was found hanging from a strip of bedding tied to the top bunk. Noel stated that Thomas entered the cell first and attempted to cut the ligature while she retrieved equipment to assist, after which they lowered Epstein to the floor so CPR could begin.However, the OIG investigation was highly critical of Noel’s conduct and the credibility of the circumstances she described. Investigators determined that Noel and Thomas had failed to perform the legally required inmate counts and physical security checks for hours during the night Epstein died, leaving him unmonitored in a high-risk suicide watch environment. The report also found that Noel later signed official count sheets falsely indicating that the checks had been completed, despite evidence showing they had not been. Surveillance records and other evidence suggested the officers spent large portions of the shift away from their assigned duties, and investigators concluded that their negligence created the conditions that allowed Epstein to remain unattended long enough to die. As a result, Noel’s interview with OIG was viewed less as a clear explanation of events and more as part of a broader record showing severe procedural failures and falsified documentation at the very time Epstein required the highest level of supervision.to contact me:[email protected]:EFTA00117759.pdfBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.