Paris Hilton has broken her silence over reports that Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted former associate of Jeffrey Epstein, allegedly tried to recruit her when she was a teenager.
The heiress, now 44, insists she 'doesn't remember ever meeting' Maxwell despite claims the socialite believed Hilton would be 'perfect' for Epstein.
At 19 years old, Hilton was already entering the public eye through modelling and entertainment, which may have made her a target for media speculation at the time. Responding to viral headlines of the said claim, Hilton said she was 'such a good clickbait name'.
Truth or Hoax? Maxwell Tried to Recruit Hilton in 2000
According to Daily Mail, the claims originated from a 2020 account by Christopher Mason, a former friend of Maxwell, who recounted the incident for the documentary series Surviving Jeffrey Epstein.
Mason described a moment at a New York fashion event in 2000 when Maxwell allegedly stopped upon seeing Hilton and exclaimed, 'Oh my God. She would be perfect for Jeffrey. Can you introduce us?' At that time, Hilton was signed to Donald Trump's modelling agency, T Management, and was beginning her rise to celebrity status.
Despite the allegations, Hilton emphasised that she has 'no memory' of ever meeting Epstein's associate. She suggested that the media may have amplified the story due to the attention her name attracted.
Maxwell was later convicted for her role as Epstein's chief recruiter in his sex trafficking operation. Mason explained in the documentary that Maxwell's socialite connections allowed her to target young women in New York. Epstein, a financier later convicted of sexually abusing minors, maintained relationships with numerous figures, including politicians and celebrities.
Maxwell's Role in Epstein's Victims
'Chief recruiter' Maxwell reportedly identified young women and girls at social events, schools, and modelling agencies, assessing how 'fit' they would be for Epstein.
Once targeted, Maxwell would gain their trust, sometimes presenting Epstein as a wealthy benefactor or mentor, and gradually draw them into his network.
Emails and witness accounts suggest she coordinated logistics, arranged meetings, and facilitate travel, effectively acting as the operational hub behind Epstein's abuse.
Trump in Resurfaced Epstein Files
The allegations came to light since at the time of the alleged Maxwell-Hilton encounter, Hilton, being in Trump's modelling agency, placed her within the orbit of Trump's business network.
Recently, over 20,000 pages of correspondence from Epstein's estate have revealed private discussions that repeatedly mention Trump. The files include early emails from 2011 in which they referred to Trump as 'the dog that hasn't barked', further exchanges clarifying the US President's alleged awareness of certain activities in Epstein's household.
Epstein's victims and democrats in Congress have pressed for transparency, much to Trump's dismay.
But the US President, despite pressuring House Republicans to stop full release earlier, is now shifting his stance on the Epstein files.
In a public statement, Trump encouraged the GOP in the House to support releasing the files, saying, 'House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide, and it's time to move on from this Democrat Hoax perpetrated by Radical Left Lunatics'.
