Socialite and media personality Paris Hilton has publicly addressed longstanding rumours that Ghislaine Maxwell attempted to recruit her for the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
"I Don't Remember Meeting Her"
In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, the 44-year-old celebrity firmly denied any recollection of encountering Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in Epstein's sex trafficking network. "I don't even remember ever meeting her," Hilton stated, adding wryly that "I'm such a good clickbait name."
The allegations originated from Hilton's former friend, Christopher Mason, who featured in the 2020 documentary series Surviving Jeffrey Epstein. Mason claimed that Maxwell had spotted a then 19-year-old Hilton at a New York City party and declared "She'd be perfect for Jeffrey." According to the testimony, Maxwell then inquired if friends could facilitate an introduction to the young heiress, who had recently signed with Donald Trump's modelling agency.
Photographic Evidence Contradicts Memory
Despite Hilton's claims of no memory of meeting Maxwell, photographic evidence from September 2000 appears to tell a different story. A picture taken at a New York fashion show shows The Simple Life star engaged in conversation with Donald Trump while Maxwell stands immediately beside them, wearing sunglasses and smiling.
The context of the image is significant - at the time, Hilton was ascending to fame as a socialite before achieving mainstream celebrity status through her reality television career in the early 2000s. Hilton's family connections to Trump date back to her childhood, given both families moved in similar New York social circles.
Broader Context of Epstein Case Developments
Hilton's denial comes amid increasing pressure on the US Department of Justice to release comprehensive files related to the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse network. This issue has generated conspiracy theories and bipartisan outrage for several years.
Donald Trump, who maintained a friendship with Epstein over many years, has consistently denied any knowledge of the financier's sex crimes, despite being mentioned by name in previously released private emails. In a recent development, Trump agreed to release the documents and "get it over with" in a Sunday night post on his Truth Social platform.
Maxwell's relationship with Epstein spanned several years, during which she became his primary accomplice in attending social functions to identify and recruit young women for his exploitation. The convicted sex trafficker has maintained her innocence despite the overwhelming evidence presented during her 2022 trial. Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting federal sex trafficking charges.
Since her peak reality television fame, Paris Hilton has transitioned into motherhood, activism and entrepreneurship, now raising two children while advocating for child welfare system reform in the United States.
