Did Ghislaine Maxwell produce child porn at Jeffrey Epstein’s house?
The case against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell has continued through multiple legal proceedings, and testimony from former staff remains central to understanding the operations at Epstein’s properties. Juan Alessi, Epstein’s former house manager, gave a deposition during the civil case between Epstein and Virginia Roberts-Giuffre that described Maxwell’s photography habits at the Palm Beach residence.
Ghislaine’s pornography
Alessi testified that Maxwell kept an album of photos showing topless girls at the Palm Beach mansion. He stated that Maxwell would “take pictures of topless girls” with her camera at the residence and described her as “very avid with photographs” and “constantly taking photographs.” When asked if she was a “fanatic about photographs,” he answered: “Exactly. Yes.”
Alessi explained the pattern at the house: “When the girls came to the house, most of the European—there were some Americans; they also took their top off—they would go in the sun, they would go in the pool without the tops.” He added that Maxwell took pictures in the pool and that he later saw the images around the property. “I knew she went out and took pictures in the pool, because later I would see them at the desk or at the house; and nude, 99.9 percent of the time they were topless.”
He further described the albums: “Sometimes I saw these albums, and there were pictures of girls in the pool.” Alessi’s account of Maxwell as an avid photographer who maintained these albums was entered into the record during Maxwell’s criminal trial as well.
Alessi’s Testimony in Context of Broader Proceedings
Alessi’s observations covered daily household operations at the Palm Beach residence and the instructions he received from Maxwell regarding guests and photography. His depositions appeared across several proceedings, including the Giuffre civil case and the later criminal matter. In Maxwell’s 2021 trial, he provided testimony about how the property was run and the routines Maxwell directed.
Epstein's Private Islands: Current Status
Epstein’s Little St. James and Great St. James islands were sold in 2023 for $60 million to financier Stephen Deckoff. Deckoff announced plans to develop a luxury resort with a target opening around 2025, but that timeline has not been met. As of early 2026, only warehouse permit activity has been reported, and environmental assessments remain pending.
Maxwell's Appeals and Legal Resolution
Maxwell was convicted in December 2021 on five counts related to sex trafficking. She received a 20-year sentence in June 2022, along with five years of supervised release and a $750,000 fine. The Second Circuit upheld the conviction in 2024. The Supreme Court declined to hear her appeal in October 2025.
Maxwell's Current Incarceration
Maxwell was transferred in August 2025 from FCI Tallahassee to the minimum-security Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Texas. She is serving the 20-year term imposed after her conviction.
The Palm Beach testimony and the subsequent court record show how the prosecution built its case around witness accounts of the properties and the activities that occurred there. The legal process has now concluded with a final conviction and sentence.
