Netizens Fixate on Ghislaine Maxwell’s Dramatically Changed Appearance During Capitol Hill Hearing – Video

She sat stiffly in beige prison garb, staring straight ahead through round glasses, her face eerily calm as the questions came — and one by one, she shut them down. See how furious viewers are reacting to her prison appearance — and how dramatically it has changed over the years.

Convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell appeared in a closed-door Capitol Hill hearing in footage that has sent shockwaves rippling across the internet — though not for what she said.

The once-glamorous British socialite, now behind bars, was beamed in virtually for a brief, tense appearance before the US House Oversight Committee on Monday, 9 February, lasting less than an hour.

Once a fixture among billionaires and royals, Maxwell — Jeffrey Epstein's notorious former girlfriend and accused madam — was hauled into the spotlight again as she gave virtual testimony in a bipartisan showdown over the Justice Department's murky handling of the Epstein case.

Now serving a 20-year sentence in a Texas federal prison for luring underage girls into Epstein's web of abuse, she remains the only one from his powerful inner circle ever to be held accountable.

Beamed into the hearing room from behind prison walls, the 64-year-old inmate cut a startling figure: dressed in shapeless beige garb, round glasses perched on her nose, she sat motionless across a table as lawmakers braced for answers — and got none.

The moment she was asked about her ties to Epstein, Maxwell shut it down. Her voice monotone. Her wording robotic.

"I would like to answer your question, but on the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer this question and any related questions," she said. "My habeas petition is pending in the Southern District of New York. I therefore invoke my right to silence under the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution."

Pressed again, she barely blinked — repeating, without a flicker of remorse, that she was invoking her right to remain silent.

Like a broken record, she repeated the same phrase — again and again — to every question put before her.

Among the questions Maxwell declined were:

"Ms. Maxwell, did you at any time play any role in Jeffrey Epstein's activities involving recruitment, grooming, or trafficking of young women or girls?"

"Ms. Maxwell, have you ever coerced, directed, or otherwise instructed any young woman or girl to provide sexual favors to Mr.Epstein or any other individual?"

"Ms. Maxwell, did you and Jeffery Epstein attempt to surround yourselves with influential individuals to curry favor and shield yourself from potential scrutiny?"

Republican Oversight Chairman James Comer and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna had both predicted the stonewalling — fully expecting Maxwell to plead the Fifth before a single question was asked.

Behind the scenes, her legal team had reportedly issued a chilling ultimatum: she would only speak if granted clemency by President Donald Trump.

The renewed firestorm around Maxwell comes amid the explosive release of over three million documents tied to Epstein's prosecution — a sprawling trove that's reignited public fury and dragged her name back into the spotlight.

But when footage of her latest hearing emerged, viewers were less focused on her silence — and far more fixated on how she looked.

"You can tell she is in a cushy jail! Looks the picture of health!!!" one netizen wrote. "Remove her right to her hair dye and she might start talking! Does she do it herself or have access to a professional hairdresser..?" another asked.

"She should be treated nothing less than a terrorist and make her talk. Its disgusting how leniently she is being treated despite of the criminal and degenerate activities she was involved in," a third raged.

"She looks like Kris Jenner," someone else quipped. Others zeroed in on Maxwell's physical appearance — particularly her weight.

"How come people put on weight in prison, it should be the opposite," one commenter asked. "Prison food must be abundant. She's carrying a load of timber," another sneered.

Summing up the dark implications of the entire clip, one person wrote, "In the words of Mr Trump, she has all the cards, every single one."

Scroll down to see how Maxwell has evolved through the years — and decide for yourself what her prison appearance really reveals.

Calm Before the Scandal: Ghislaine Maxwell is seen aboard her father Robert Maxwell's yacht, "Lady Ghislaine", off Tenerife on 7 November 1991 — just days after the British tycoon's mysterious death at sea. Clad in a bold red tartan blazer and gold earrings, she glances toward the camera, her reflection hauntingly mirrored in the glass behind her. Years before her name would become forever linked to Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking empire, Maxwell cut a composed — even regal — figure.

Moments After the Fall: Standing on the deck of the "Lady Ghislaine", clutches a folded paper, her gaze fixed on the sea. Tension is etched across her face following the shocking death of her father, media baron Robert Maxwell. Dressed in a red plaid blazer, the future convicted sex trafficker appears stoic — a chilling prelude to the scandals that would erupt decades later with Epstein.

Inside the Circle of Power: Maxwell and Epstein are pictured in a previously unreleased image near No. 10 Downing Street, made public by the US Department of State on 19 December 2025. Maxwell sits at a gleaming table, fixated on an object in her hands, while Epstein looms behind her, staring directly at the camera. The plush curtains and soft lighting give the moment an eerily intimate feel — a sinister quiet before global disgrace.

Caught in Public: In another image released by the US Department of State, Maxwell and Epstein are seen in a shockingly candid moment. She leans in to kiss Epstein on the cheek, their closeness unfolding in broad daylight as a band of musicians and passers-by blur in the sunlit background — a disturbing reminder of how openly they mingled in elite political circles.

Streaming From Behind Bars: Maxwell appears virtually from prison during a closed-door Capitol Hill hearing on 9 February 2026. Wearing beige prison garb and round glasses, she sits stiffly at a table with water and papers placed precisely in front of her. Her face is blank, her voice steady, as she chillingly invokes her Fifth Amendment right again and again — refusing to answer questions about her role in Epstein's abuse network. | Source: YouTube/New York Post

Under the Microscope: Maxwell is flanked by officials and boxed in by stark white privacy screens during her testimony. Her tightly controlled posture and blank expression have sparked outrage, as viewers accuse her of showing no remorse while stonewalling Congress. | Source: YouTube/New York Post

A Picture of Defiance: Maxwell faces the camera during her virtual Capitol Hill hearing, streamed live from prison. Her stiff posture and composed demeanor belie the gravity of the hearing — as she coldly, repeatedly, and unapologetically pleads the Fifth. | Source: YouTube/New York Post