Uncovering the Truth About Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine's Infamous Father

Author John Preston on the secrets and scandals uncovered in his new biography of the late British tycoon.

Ghislaine Maxwell wasn’t always the most infamous member of her storied family. In his new book, Fall: The Mysterious Life and Death of Robert Maxwell, Britain's Most Notorious Media Baron—an excerpt from which just published in T&C—writer John Preston goes behind the smoke-and-mirrors life of Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine’s late father, who was world famous in his time as a publisher, power broker, and social climber par excellence.

While Maxwell died 30 years ago—he fell off his yacht near the Canary Islands, and rumors persist to this day that it was a suicide or perhaps an assassination—his legacy is one that merits investigation today. After all, not only is his daughter set to stand trial this year for charges relating to her involvement with Jeffrey Epstein and one of the world’s most talked-about scandals, but his dishonesty, underhandedness, and avarice could teach a lesson to modern moguls whose ambition brings them too close to the sun. Here, Preston tells T&C what it was like to tell Maxwell’s life story.

Robert Maxwell lived a complicated, fascinating life—but we’ve all been more focused on his daughter Ghislaine in recent years. How did you decide to write a biography of him?

I wrote a book called A Very English Scandal about the Jeremy Thorpe affair, which was made into a TV series. I was talking to the producer one day about other sorts of scandals, and he mentioned Maxwell. I thought about it, and I realized there was a lot of point in doing something about Maxwell; it had been almost 30 years since he died, and he was still regarded as the embodiment of corporate villainy. I felt that so much black paint had been tipped over his reputation that he'd been turned into a kind of pantomime villain, and however much of an ogre he was, he was actually a very interesting, complex, nuanced ogre and it would be worth trying to look at him again.

He died 30 year ago, which seems like it might have been just enough time to get people to talk to you.

I think it was the playwright Alan Bennett who said, “The recent past is the most boring period of all in history.” When you go back a little bit and tilt over an indefinable point, and it actually does turn into history and becomes interesting, particularly if there's an obvious contrast between the way we live now and the way we lived then. With Maxwell, it's about the way in which power is wielded. If you look at how powerful Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwell were 35 years ago, they basically were the two éminences grises of British politics. They were big beasts, and I don't think power is wielded in quite that way anymore.

You got a lot of time with Murdoch for this book. What made him willing to talk?

It was a coup. I wrote off an email thinking there's a billion to one chance I'm going to get a reply. Then, to my astonishment, within an hour, I got an email saying, “Mr. Murdoch would be very happy to talk to you.”

Maxwell and Murdoch were engaged in this titanic struggle for 30 years, and Murdoch essentially won every round, so there's every reason for him not to talk in that sense. But it obviously drove him nuts that he and Maxwell were constantly being bracketed together—it didn't help, of course, that they shared the same initials. As far as Maxwell was concerned, trying to go toe to toe with Murdoch, particularly in America, was what precipitated his downfall. But as far as Murdoch was concerned, Maxwell was just this sort of buffoon who he couldn't quite shake off.

What was the rest of your research and reporting like? This was a guy who changed his name multiple times and played fast and loose with the truth. How do you discover what’s real?

One of the fascinating things about Maxwell is that very few people lead those epic, technicolor lives. So even the myths about Maxwell, while they may not actually be true, do tell you quite a lot about how he was perceived. You've still got to try and sift out what's real and what isn't, but my approach, in so far as I had an approach, wasn't really as grand as that; basically, I just decided to try and talk to as many people as possible. I'd been at school with [his son] Ian Maxwell, and we've been friends for a long time, so he talked and was very generous with his time. And I talked to two of Ian’s sisters. At one stage, I was quite optimistic that I might be able to talk to Ghislaine.

I really started from the point of view that anybody who had anything to do with Maxwell was worth trying to talk to, and that actually people who might be slightly lower down the food chain—the chef, his valet his chauffeur—would invariably have far more interesting stories than people who were executives sat in the same boardroom as him.

Was there someone who was the one who got away when it came to a big interview for the book?

Ghislaine more than anybody. There are seven surviving Maxwell children, and I got to talk with three, which is not bad. Ghislaine was the one who I would have liked to talk to, but actually she's not that key a figure in the story of her father's life. She was the youngest and the whole Epstein thing didn't happen until after Maxwell had died. There's been a lot of nonsense about how Epstein laundered money for Maxwell and stuff like that, but there's no evidence to suggest they ever met.

So, you were working on this book before her troubles became what they are now?

Yes, I was. I remember reading an interview that she gave a year after her father died in which she says, “I can tell you this, you haven't heard the last of the Maxwell family.” The whole thing blew up after I finished writing the book, though I added a few bits in after the interview with Prince Andrew, which caused a tremendous furor over here. In that sense, it's the kind of gift that keeps on giving. It does feel like a terrible curse that's been handed down from one generation to another.

What can we take from Maxwell’s story today? Is he a cautionary tale for modern moguls?

At the heart of it is this terrible morality tale; Maxwell was a classic example of someone for whom nothing was ever enough. I remember when I first started researching, thinking this is a kind of build your own Citizen Kane kit, with a bit kind of Jay Gatsby chucked in. Maxwell’s a man who tried to escape his background, changed his name, his religion, and his nationality, but you can't escape who you were. I find that very poignant actually.

As for Ghislaine, I get the impression that, rightly or wrongly, she's incredibly angry and feels that the whole thing has been a colossal miscarriage of justice. And, in one sense, her father was at his most resolute and courageous when he had his back to the wall. I feel there's a kind of spitting cobra side to Ghislaine that probably is directly inherited from my father.

Jeffrey Epstein was ‘bankrolled by “pimp” Ghislaine’s father Robert Maxwell’
The Sun ^ | 9/12/20 | James Beal, Greg Woodfield
FR Posted on 9/13/2020, 8:15:44 AM by Libloather

INVESTIGATORS have sworn testimony claiming that Jeffrey Epstein was secretly bankrolled by Robert Maxwell – the father of alleged pimp Ghislaine.

Sex trafficker Epstein – who killed himself in jail last year – mysteriously amassed a huge fortune despite only managing the wealth of a handful of exclusive clients.
Now an insider has told The Sun that he had been initially funded by tycoon Maxwell, who swindled a pension fund before he was found dead in 1991.

Frenchman Jean-Luc Brunel, a model scout pal of Epstein, is said to have disclosed Maxwell’s involvement to friends almost 20 years ago.

The claim has since been passed onto US lawyers investigating Epstein’s crimes and those of his alleged co-conspirators, in the form of sworn testimony.

A former close associate of Brunel told The Sun: “He was having a conversation with some acquaintances in New York City around 2002.

“Jean-Luc was telling them how Ghislaine’s father Robert Maxwell was one of the reasons why Jeffrey Epstein had money.
“He said Maxwell had been one of Epstein’s early investment clients. I assumed that Maxwell had invested in Epstein, who then used that money to make his own.”

(Excerpt) Read more at thesun.co.uk ...

.....sworn testimony claims pedo Jeffrey Epstein was secretly bankrolled by Robert Maxwell.........
Maxwell is the father of Epstein's alleged pimp, Ghislaine Maxwell who posed as Epstein's girlfriend.....read on.....

SOURCE: chicagotribune.com Dec 6, 1991

EXCERPT The mystery surrounding the death at sea of Robert Maxwell----found floating nude near his yacht----deepened with the revelation that British press magnate Maxwell---Ghislaine's father----had looted his employees` pension funds and that at least $900 million in pension and other money-----probably even more-----has vanished. Some conjecture that Maxwell’s wealth was funelled through Mossad (Israeli intelligence).

Maxwell was given a lavish funeral in Israel, attended by Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, Israeli President Chaim Herzog, "no less than six serving and former heads of Mossad, Israeli intelligence" and many dignitaries and politicians (both government and opposition).

Maxwell received one of Israel's highest honors----accorded only to those who are most cherished by the Jewish state.......a burial site on the sacred Mount of Olives.

====================================

Somebody better check The Clinton Foundation……..what did the “altruistic” Maxwell family (gag) “contribute”?

This is being done on purpose to deflect atention and blame of Ghislane. The timing is not coincidental. They found a man they could blame for her. It would be nice having gynosociety work on my behalf anytime I was in a botload of major self inflicted trouble.

Shes worse than Epstein, society had no love for him, no one making excuses. But because shes a woman male cucks apologists rationalize and attempt to reduce her guilt by deflecting of to a man in her life who cant defend himself.

So flipping typical.

I recently finished the book “Red Notice” by Bill Browder. Fascinating and extremely troubling story about murder of Sergei Magnitzky. Magnitzky apparently (allegedly) killed as result of Putin’s own machinations.
The Magnitzky Act was passed into law despite 0bama’s (and John Kerry) efforts to sidetrack it.
But the Maxwell connection is that Browder’s first job after his Stanford MBA was at Maxwell’s firm. Browder found himself nearly unemployable after the embezzlement by Maxwell surfaced.

Liz,

I have no idea about the source of Epstein’s funds. Where did all this money come from to buy these properties around the world (including pedo island) and to sustain his lifestyle?

I think his estate was valued at 500 million.

It could be an Israel connection like with Robert Maxwell and of course the daughter would be the logical link....

From a crook of a father to a perverted boyfriend both of whom met an untimely demise.

It really is crazy.

By the way, her trial is in July so keep an eye out!

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