A senior Department of Justice official told an undercover journalist that the government actively worked to keep Ghislaine Maxwell’s ‘mouth shut’. 

Joseph Schnitt was caught on camera making the claims to a woman he met on Hinge, who actually works for The O’Keefe Media Group.

In a video released by the organization on Thursday, Schnitt shares information with the woman about Jeffrey Epstein’s associate, who is serving a 20-year sentence for recruiting young girls for Epstein’s sexual abuse, revealing that she was transferred to a minimum security prison as part of an arrangement.

He stated: ‘[Maxwell] was moved to a minimum security facility, which contradicts BOP [Bureau of Prisons] guidelines since she’s a convicted sex offender and such offenders typically don’t get minimum security placements, which is intriguing because it’s a benefit that suggests they’re [DOJ] giving her something to ensure her silence.’

Schnitt also revealed to the reporter that the documents concerning the pedophile financier would be extensively redacted to exclude all references to Republicans and known conservatives.

He said: ‘They’ll redact every Republican or conservatives person in those files, leave all the liberal, Democratic people in those files.

‘[They’ll] have a very slanted version of it come out, where it’s ‘Look at what’s going on’, without really seeing any of their bad behavior.’

Schnitt, who is the acting deputy chief of the Special Operations Unit within the Office of Enforcement Operations, mentioned there are ‘thousands and thousands of pages of files’ connected to Epstein.

In a statement, Schnitt explained that he met the reporter on Hinge in July of this year and that she introduced herself as an au pair named Skylar.

Joseph Schnitt, Acting Deputy Chief, was caught on camera making the claims to a woman he met on Hinge

Schnitt indicated the DOJ was actively engaged in removing the names of Republicans and conservatives from the files related to Jeffrey Epstein, pictured here with President Trump, First Lady Melania, and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000.

He said: ‘I met a woman named Skylar on Hinge, a dating app, in July 2025, her profile is no longer findable. 

We had two dates (August 4 and August 16). She claimed to be an au pair in Georgetown. She gave no clues that she was a reporter or recording our dates. 

‘Had I a clue, the first date would have ended immediately and there never would have been a second one.

‘My profile indicated I did ‘Government’ work but did not specify for which agency. I never discussed what I do at DOJ.

‘The comments I made were my own personal comments on what l’ve learned in the media and not from anything l’ve done at or learned via work. 

‘I have no knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Ms. Maxwell other than what is reported in the news. I also never divulged anything about what I do at work. 

‘I recall that she asked if I had any knowledge about Maxwell and I specifically said I only know what’s been reported in the media.’

In response the DOJ said: ‘The comments in this video have absolutely zero bearing with reality and reflect a total lack of knowledge of the DOJ’s review process. 

‘The DOJ is committed to transparency and is in compliance with the House Oversight Committee’s request for documents.’ 

Maxwell, a convicted sex offender, shouldn’t have been moved due to her crimes according to Schnitt, saying the DOJ had actively given her a benefit

Bondi promised earlier this year that all of the files relating to Epstein would be released, maintaining at one point that the infamous list was on her desk

As well as the the Epstein comments, Schnitt has spoke about the ‘internal conflict’ between Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. 

He added: ‘Second-in-command [Bongino] at the FBI has been causing problems, because he’s like, “No, these [Epstein Files] have to be released”.

‘Bondi wants whatever Trump wants. Internally there’s a lot of conflict.’

It is the latest in a long saga involving the release of files relating to the pedophile financier who was found dead in a New York City jail cell in 2019. 

At the time of Epstein’s death, which was ruled a suicide, he had pleaded not guilty to the charges held against him.

His suicide fueled public speculation that he was assassinated as part of a cover-up to protect other high-profile individuals who were potentially complicit in his crimes.

Maxwell is seen here alongside Epstein in an undated picture of the two  

From that, a theory that the well-connected financier maintained a list of clients to whom underage girls were trafficked emerged.

Bondi made promises that raised the expectations of conservatives, maintaining this year that the list ‘was on her desk’.

To some fanfare, right-wing influencers were welcomed to the White House in February and provided with binders marked ‘The Epstein Files: Phase 1’. 

It later emerged that the information contained in the dossiers handed over was already publicly available. 

An all out MAGA civil war has ensued after the Department of Justice said in a memo in July that, despite fueling theories for years, there is no list. 

Senior officials in the administration also claimed that Bondi had told Trump back in May that his name was found in the Epstein documents. 

Maxwell sat down with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in July to discuss what she knew about the Epstein case. 

The records of those conversations were then subsequently released and provided no incriminating information on high-profile individuals including Donald Trump.

She also denied the existence of a so-called ‘client list’ and insisted Microsoft founder Bill Clinton had never visited Epstein’s infamous ‘pedophile island’. 

On Friday morning, President Trump took to his Truth Social and claimed the Epstein files was all a hoax by the Democratic party. 

In a lengthy statement, he said: ‘The now dying Epstein case was only brought back to life by the Radical Left Democrats because they are doing so poorly.

‘The Dems don’t care about the victims, as proven by the fact that they never did before. 

‘This is merely another Democrat HOAX, just like Russia, Russia, Russia, and all of the others, in order to deflect and distract from the great success of a Republican President, and the record setting failure of the previous Administration, and the Democrat Party. 

‘The Department of Justice has done its job, they have given everything requested of them. It’s time to end the Democrat Epstein Hoax, and give the Republicans credit for the great, even legendary, job that they are doing.’

Earlier this week Epstein survivors spoke with lawmakers on Capitol Hill about their abuse during a closed-door meeting.