Tensions and Contradictions Against EFTA Evidence
Waitt was not accused of wrongdoing by the majority. The core tension in his testimony is how a man in a six-year live-in relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell — throughout the period of her active participation in Epstein's trafficking operations — could have had no meaningful awareness of her crimes or meaningful contact with Epstein. Democratic minority members were openly skeptical.
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"I interacted with Mr. Epstein less than five times, and each of those were very brief and unintentional" — Opening statement. Waitt claims near-zero contact with Epstein despite a six-year romantic relationship (2004–2010) with Maxwell, who was employed by Epstein as his "property manager" throughout.
Under questioning, Waitt acknowledged a solo, intentional one-on-one meeting with Epstein at Maxwell's 65th Street residence in early 2004, arranged at Epstein's request, at which Maxwell was not present. Epstein "felt him out." Waitt also acknowledged Maxwell consistently told him only positive things about Epstein ("brilliant investor, money manager") and that Maxwell, in Waitt's own words, "always looked up to him" and sought his approval. A one-on-one meeting arranged at Epstein's request, followed by years of Maxwell seeking Epstein's sign-off on their relationship, sits in tension with Waitt's framing of contact as accidental. Democrats called it "hard to believe" he was unaware of Maxwell's role.
Waitt paid $30,000/month to 116 East 65th Street LLC — an entity controlled by Epstein's lawyer Darren Indyke — Minority Exhibit A showed monthly payments from Waitt totaling approximately $720,000 from May 2008 through April 2010. Waitt testified he believed these were rent payments to Maxwell for her New York residence.
Waitt was unaware that 116 East 65th Street LLC — the entity receiving his checks — was controlled by Darren Indyke, Epstein's longtime personal attorney who also managed his financial empire. Indyke was named co-executor of Epstein's will and administered Epstein's Virgin Islands foundation. A man writing $30,000/month checks to an Epstein lawyer's shell company for two years without knowing it is either negligent due diligence or evidence of deliberate distance from the arrangement. The committee noted Waitt appeared genuinely unaware of the LLC's ultimate controller.
Maxwell "sought Epstein's approval" for the Waitt relationship — Majority Exhibit 2 (EFTA ending 5814) is a Maxwell email showing Epstein reviewed the logistics and details of the Maxwell/Waitt relationship. When asked whether Maxwell sought Epstein's approval for the relationship, Waitt answered: "I think in a way, yes."
If Maxwell was running her romantic relationship past Epstein for his review and approval — and Waitt acknowledged this — the characterization of Epstein as merely "my girlfriend's ex-boyfriend" whom Waitt avoided out of personal awkwardness appears incomplete. This dynamic is consistent with EFTA corpus documents showing Maxwell functioned as an extension of Epstein's will even after their own romantic relationship ended circa 2002. See
EFTA01249968 (FBI 302 on Maxwell's New York recruitment operation during the same period).
Rothstein "blackmail threats" vs. Waitt's "investment scam" account — Maxwell's DOJ proffer sessions stated that her relationship with Waitt "couldn't survive blackmail threats by Scott Rothstein." Waitt directly contradicted this, describing it as an investment fraud solicitation he simply rejected through intermediary A.J. Discala.
Waitt confirmed Maxwell's name appeared in a Rothstein document but denied any blackmail component. He described Rothstein's approach as a pitch for a fraudulent investment he declined via Discala without it having any impact on his relationship with Maxwell. Maxwell's own characterization of Rothstein as a blackmail threat — used in DOJ sessions to explain the relationship's end — does not match Waitt's timeline: he ended the relationship in September 2010, and Rothstein was arrested and pleaded guilty in 2009–2010. The gap in accounts raises questions about which narrative Maxwell used and why.
"Wicked Ghislaine" three 18-year-olds email — "innocent banter" — Minority Exhibit F is an October 2004 email chain in which Maxwell references a "three 18-year-olds' trip." Waitt responded "do tell, you naughty girl" and described the exchange under questioning as innocent banter with no sexual connotation.
October 2004 falls within the period when Maxwell was actively involved in recruiting and managing Epstein's victims. Maxwell's reference to "three 18-year-olds" in the context of a trip, in communications with a wealthy boyfriend, is significant given her documented role. Waitt's claim of innocent banter without sexual connotation is difficult to evaluate absent the full email chain, but the committee entered it as a minority exhibit precisely because the minority found the framing notable.
Jane Doe timeline: relationship "began in 2001–02" vs. Waitt's "November 2003" first meeting — Majority Exhibit 1 is a document in which a Jane Doe claims the Maxwell/Waitt relationship began in 2001 or 2002, roughly two years before Waitt places his first encounter with Maxwell at the Hong Kong dinner.
Waitt was firm that his first contact with Maxwell was November 2003 at the Hong Kong dinner. The committee did not resolve this discrepancy in the transcript. If accurate, the Jane Doe account would place Waitt's Maxwell relationship during a period closer to the peak of Epstein's documented abuse operations. Waitt offered no explanation for the discrepancy beyond his own recollection of events.
Maxwell paid Cathy Alexander's salary through Waitt's accounts —
EFTA01249968 (FBI 302) documents that Ted Waitt paid the salary of a Maxwell employee. Waitt confirmed that Cathy Alexander, Maxwell's personal assistant, was on his payroll.
Cathy Alexander's compensation coming through Waitt creates a direct financial link between Waitt and Maxwell's operational staff. Alexander was Maxwell's personal assistant during years Maxwell was employed by Epstein. The arrangement means Waitt was indirectly financing part of Maxwell's operation — going beyond merely dating her. Waitt described this as a normal relationship expense, paying for his girlfriend's assistant.
$7,211,238 breakup payment — Maxwell wanted more — Minority Exhibit C is documentation of a September 2010 payment of $7,211,238 from Waitt to Maxwell following the end of their relationship. Waitt described it as a "palimony-type" settlement to which he applied a gift tax deduction.
Waitt testified Maxwell sought a larger amount and that he was "worried about PR exposure" but not legal exposure. A $7.2 million settlement to a partner with no documented joint assets or legal marriage suggests either substantial leverage or a calculated buy-out. That Maxwell pushed for more — after Waitt had already paid approximately $720,000 in LLC rent payments and her assistant's salary — indicates Maxwell negotiated from a position of some perceived strength. Waitt said he "should have been worried about PR exposure."
Maxwell arranged a massage for Waitt in a Florida hotel room — "not a hotel masseuse" — Minority Exhibit G includes an April 2004 email referencing a massage "booked for four in the hotel room, not a hotel masseuse." Waitt confirmed Maxwell arranged this and that it was one documented incident.
April 2004 is the same period FBI 302 documents (including EFTA01249968) describe victims being brought to Epstein's properties for "massages." Maxwell's contemporaneous role arranging non-hotel massages for wealthy men is consistent with her documented function within Epstein's operation. Waitt maintained the massage was legitimate. The same Exhibit G also contains a separate April 2, 2004 Maxwell email to Waitt stating: "One of the things I am working on is finding someone to work for you. I think I have some potential candidates" — Maxwell actively cultivating her role in Waitt's household infrastructure.
Waitt "expected" FBI contact — never received it — Waitt testified that through his deposition preparation, he discovered significant information he had not previously known about Maxwell's relationship with Epstein, and stated: "I was kind of expecting [FBI contact] in a way." He was never contacted by the FBI.
The FBI interviewed numerous Epstein associates, victims, and witnesses across multiple investigations (2006, 2008, 2019). Minority Exhibit D (FBI tip, July 2020) specifically states: "Maxwell was the one in charge of getting the girls and Waitt was there and knows what was going on." Despite this tip and Waitt's six-year relationship with Maxwell, the FBI never approached him. Minority Exhibit E is a separate FBI tip from Peter Nomikos claiming Waitt and Epstein had a "relationship beyond friendship" around 2012. Waitt denied the Nomikos allegation and said he had not been in contact with Epstein since 2010.
Maxwell accompanied Waitt to Hillary Clinton's D.C. home in 2007 for political strategy meeting — Waitt confirmed that Maxwell attended a private meeting at Hillary Clinton's D.C. residence in 2007, where Huma Abedin was present, to discuss Clinton's anticipated 2008 presidential run. Waitt brought Maxwell as his date.
This meeting occurred while Maxwell was employed by Epstein as his property manager and during the documented period of Epstein's trafficking operations. The meeting was arranged through Waitt's prior Clinton relationships (he donated $10 million to the Clinton Library). Maxwell's presence at private political strategy sessions at the Clinton home — facilitated by her wealthy boyfriend — illustrates the social access Maxwell extracted through the Waitt relationship. Waitt also confirmed Maxwell attended Chelsea Clinton's July 2010 wedding as his date, three months before he ended the relationship.
Opening Statement (verbatim)
Delivered April 30, 2026. The opening statement is in plain English in the transcript PDF.
Mr. Waitt: Good morning, members of the committee and staff. My name is Ted Waitt. I was born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, the son of a fourth-generation cattleman. While I did not follow my family into the cattle business, my own career began on my family's ranch. In 1985, I co-founded the personal computer company Gateway in the empty, upper floor of a farmhouse on my father's ranch.
Mr. Waitt: Twenty years later, I retired from Gateway, and since then, I've been fortunate to focus my energy and my resources on philanthropy and the causes nearest to my heart. Chief among those are violence prevention and ocean conservation.
Mr. Waitt: In 2005, my sister and I founded the Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention, building on the work the Foundation had been doing since 1993. The Institute is focused on combating violence against women, preventing bullying, and breaking the cycles of violence that exist in our homes, schools, and communities. At its core, our work is about disrupting the social norms that accept violence as a part of life. That's why I believe your current inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell is so important.
Mr. Waitt: For too long, Jeffrey Epstein's crimes were unpunished and were swept under the rug as part of a culture that accepted the most unacceptable behavior from rich and powerful people. I want to acknowledge the victims who were silenced and ignored and denied justice for too long. I am hopeful that this inquiry will lead not only to greater accountability and justice for victims, but also to a broader public understanding of the conditions that expose young women to violence and exploitation across the country and around the world. It is in that spirit that I am here today voluntarily to answer your questions.
Mr. Waitt: Before I do so, I would like to outline some key facts about my relationship with Ms. Maxwell and my limited interactions with Mr. Epstein.
Mr. Waitt: I first met both Ms. Maxwell and Mr. Epstein in November 2003 at a dinner in Hong Kong. I was traveling in Asia and received a last-minute invitation to join a large group of people at a restaurant. I exchanged contact information with Ms. Maxwell, and we began communicating more regularly over the next several months. I do not remember having any conversation with Mr. Epstein at that dinner beyond a brief introduction.
Mr. Waitt: In 2004, my friendship with Ms. Maxwell developed into a romantic relationship that ultimately lasted until September 2010. This was a period of immense personal transition in my life. To put this period, mid-2004, into perspective, I was preparing to finally retire from Gateway after returning to the role to save the company I had founded. I was separating from my wife and the mother of my children, and I was still grieving the unexpected loss of my father in August 2003.
Mr. Waitt: I can say unequivocally that if I knew then what I know now about Ms. Maxwell, I never would've befriended her or allowed her to be around my four children, three of whom are girls and who, at that point, ranged in age from 8 to 14. I never would've spent 6 years in a romantic relationship with her.
Mr. Waitt: But when I look back at that period today in response to your questions, I can only speak to what I knew and what I saw at that time. Throughout our relationship, I lived in San Diego, Ms. Maxwell lived in New York. As such, we split our time between our respective homes and traveled together but also spent frequent stretches of time apart.
Mr. Waitt: I understand that she was employed by Mr. Epstein as a property manager of sorts, but I simply did not have visibility into the details. And I avoided Mr. Epstein, both because I found him off-putting, but mostly because he was my girlfriend's ex-boyfriend, not someone I was eager to spend time with. Over the course of my 6-year relationship with Ms. Maxwell, I would estimate that I interacted with Mr. Epstein less than five times, and each of those were very brief and unintentional.
Mr. Waitt: I've never been inside any of his homes, flown on his airplane, or been to his island, period. Last time I spoke to Ms. Maxwell substantively was in September 2010 when I ended our relationship, and the last time I saw her was a bit later when we unexpectedly ran into each other at an ocean conference.
Mr. Waitt: I share all this with you today because I understand this committee's work demands candor, and I want to do my part. I will answer your questions to the best of my recollection, and I hope my testimony is helpful.
Hong Kong Dinner (November 2003)
Ms. Cathey: You mentioned that you first met Ms. Maxwell at the dinner in Hong Kong with the Clintons present. Is that correct?
Mr. Waitt: Yes.
Ms. Cathey: Were the Clintons present at this dinner?
Mr. Waitt: At dinner, only Bill Clinton.
Ms. Cathey: And that was in 2003?
Mr. Waitt: Yes, November of 2003.
Ms. Cathey: Who invited you to that event?
Mr. Waitt: I was invited to the event by Doug Band.
Mr. Spectre: What was the purpose of the event?
Mr. Waitt: President Clinton was traveling with a large delegation around Asia, and it was just a dinner.
Mr. Spectre: Was it a fundraiser?
Mr. Waitt: It was not a fundraiser. It was a typical Clinton dinner, a lot of people there.
Ms. Cathey: Did you interact with President Clinton during the dinner?
Mr. Waitt: Yes. I was seated next to him.
Counsel: Were you part of President Clinton's traveling party for this Asia trip?
Mr. Waitt: No. I was already in Hong Kong on business. I reached out to Doug Band when I learned they would be in Hong Kong.
Relationship with Maxwell
Counsel: How would you describe your relationship with Ms. Maxwell over the six years?
Mr. Waitt: It was a romantic relationship. She spent significant time in San Diego with me and my children. We traveled together extensively. She became part of my life.
Counsel: Did Ms. Maxwell discuss Mr. Epstein with you?
Mr. Waitt: She told me positive things about him. That he was a brilliant investor, a very good money manager. She always seemed to look up to him in that regard. She always spoke of him positively in terms of his financial acumen.
Counsel: Did Mr. Epstein end his relationship with Ms. Maxwell?
Mr. Waitt: That was my understanding. She told me he ended things on her 40th birthday. Her characterization was that he felt she was getting too old for him.
Counsel: Did Ms. Maxwell appear to seek Mr. Epstein's approval for your relationship?
Mr. Waitt: I think in a way, yes.
Counsel: Were you aware that Maxwell had been interviewed by the FBI regarding Epstein prior to your relationship ending?
Mr. Waitt: I was aware she was stressed about a deposition subpoena around 2010. That was a difficult time.
Counsel: Did Ms. Maxwell discuss Jean-Luc Brunel with you?
Mr. Waitt: I saw Brunel with Epstein in St. Barts. Maxwell expressed dislike for Brunel. She said he was "not a good person."
Epstein Contact
Counsel: You described Mr. Epstein as off-putting. Can you say more?
Mr. Waitt: I found him off-putting and arrogant. I had no interest in spending time with him.
Counsel: Did you ever meet with Mr. Epstein one-on-one?
Mr. Waitt: Early in the relationship, in early 2004, I did meet with him alone at Ghislaine's 65th Street residence. He had requested the meeting. Ghislaine was not present. He was essentially feeling me out — asking about my background, my interests. It was not a long meeting.
Counsel: Who initiated that meeting?
Mr. Waitt: Epstein did, at his request.
Counsel: Have you been in contact with Mr. Epstein since 2010?
Mr. Waitt: No.
Financial Arrangements
Minority Counsel: Mr. Waitt, are you aware that the entity receiving your monthly payments for Ms. Maxwell's residence — 116 East 65th Street LLC — was controlled by Darren Indyke, Mr. Epstein's personal attorney?
Mr. Waitt: I was not aware of that. I was paying what I understood to be rent for Ghislaine's apartment in New York.
Minority Counsel: These payments were approximately $30,000 a month, from May 2008 through April 2010 — roughly $720,000 total. Is that consistent with your understanding?
Mr. Waitt: That sounds about right.
Minority Counsel: Did you pay the salary of Ms. Maxwell's personal assistant, Cathy Alexander?
Mr. Waitt: Yes. She was Ghislaine's assistant, but I was paying her salary.
Minority Counsel: After the relationship ended, you made a payment of $7,211,238 to Ms. Maxwell?
Mr. Waitt: Yes. I applied a gift tax deduction. It was a palimony-type arrangement. I felt it was the right thing to do given the length of the relationship.
Minority Counsel: Did Ms. Maxwell seek a larger amount?
Mr. Waitt: She did.
Minority Counsel: Were you concerned about legal exposure?
Mr. Waitt: I was not worried about legal exposure. I should have been worried about PR exposure.
Clinton Connections
Counsel: Did you have a prior relationship with President Clinton before the Hong Kong dinner?
Mr. Waitt: I had donated $10 million to the Clinton Library. That was the connection through Doug Band.
Counsel: Did Ms. Maxwell accompany you to any Clinton-related events?
Mr. Waitt: Yes. In 2007, she accompanied me to a meeting at Hillary Clinton's home in Washington, D.C. Huma Abedin was present. It was a political strategy meeting related to the anticipated 2008 presidential campaign.
Counsel: Did Ms. Maxwell attend Chelsea Clinton's wedding?
Mr. Waitt: Yes, in July 2010. She attended as my date.
Counsel: Did Ms. Maxwell travel with you on humanitarian trips?
Mr. Waitt: Yes. She accompanied me on a Clinton tsunami and AIDS relief trip — we traveled to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Thailand, Papua New Guinea. That was in the mid-2000s. She told me she helped establish CGI [the Clinton Global Initiative].
Counsel: Did you have any knowledge of President Clinton's relationship with Mr. Epstein or Ms. Maxwell?
Mr. Waitt: I was not aware of any prior relationship between them.
Counsel: Did you have any knowledge of Bill Gates' relationship with Mr. Epstein or Ms. Maxwell?
Mr. Waitt: No. I had no knowledge of that. I was aware that Ghislaine had a couple of friends who worked at Microsoft during our relationship, but nothing beyond that.
Scott Rothstein Incident
Minority Counsel: Are you aware that Ms. Maxwell, in DOJ proffer sessions, described her relationship with you as unable to survive "blackmail threats" by Scott Rothstein?
Mr. Waitt: That is not how I would characterize it at all. Rothstein approached me through an intermediary, A.J. Discala, with what turned out to be a fraudulent investment solicitation. I declined it. It had no impact on my relationship with Ghislaine.
Minority Counsel: Was Ms. Maxwell's name in a Rothstein document?
Mr. Waitt: I understand that it was, yes. But I did not understand it as a blackmail threat. It was an investment fraud scheme that I rejected.
Minority Counsel: When did you end the relationship?
Mr. Waitt: September 2010. My decision.
Massage Arrangements
Minority Counsel: Minority Exhibit G includes an email referencing a massage "booked for four in the hotel room, not a hotel masseuse." Did Ms. Maxwell arrange massages for you?
Mr. Waitt: She arranged a massage in a Florida hotel. That was one incident that I'm aware of being documented.
Minority Counsel: Minority Exhibit H shows Maxwell asking about a massage table being ordered through your assistant Erin. Did Maxwell have access to your household staff?
Mr. Waitt: She worked through Erin on various things, yes. She offered to forward instructions to Erin on what massage table to order.
Minority Counsel: In April 2004, Ms. Maxwell wrote to you: "One of the things I am working on is finding someone to work for you. I think I have some potential candidates." Did Ms. Maxwell recruit staff for you?
Mr. Waitt: She was helpful in various ways. She did look into that.
Minority Counsel: Minority Exhibit I documents a former Maxwell and Epstein employee — someone who worked with them from approximately 1996 to 2002 — who interviewed with Ms. Maxwell in California in 2007 or 2008 for a "project manager position" working for you. Were you aware Maxwell was recruiting from the Epstein network to place in your household?
Mr. Waitt: I was not aware of that person's background. I did not know the candidate came from that world.
Breakup and Aftermath
Counsel: When and how did the relationship end?
Mr. Waitt: I ended it in September 2010. The last time I spoke to Ghislaine substantively was that conversation. The last time I saw her was when we ran into each other unexpectedly at an Economist ocean conservation conference in San Francisco — she was there representing TerraMar.
Counsel: Did you donate to TerraMar?
Mr. Waitt: No, I never donated to TerraMar.
Counsel: Through preparing for this testimony, did you learn things about Ms. Maxwell you had not previously known?
Mr. Waitt: Through the course of preparing for this testimony, I've discovered a lot of things I did not know about her relationship with Mr. Epstein.
FBI Contact
Minority Counsel: Were you ever contacted by the FBI in connection with the Epstein investigation?
Mr. Waitt: No, I was never contacted. I was kind of expecting it in a way.
Minority Counsel: Minority Exhibit D is an FBI tip from July 2020 stating that Maxwell "was the one in charge of getting the girls" and that you "were there and know what was going on." Do you have any response?
Mr. Waitt: That is not true. I was not present for any of that. I have no knowledge of that.
Minority Counsel: Minority Exhibit E is an FBI tip from Peter Nomikos alleging you and Mr. Epstein had a "relationship beyond friendship" around 2012. Is that accurate?
Mr. Waitt: That is not accurate. I had no contact with Epstein after 2010, and our relationship was never beyond what I have described.