The first picture of Ghislaine Maxwell in more than three years was staged by her close friend and attorney, Leah Saffian, DailyMail.com has learned exclusively.
A photo of Maxwell, 57, was published last week at an In-N-Out Burger joint in Los Angeles, the day after DailyMail.com broke the world exclusive that Epstein’s alleged madam had been living under the radar at a Massachusetts mansion with her boyfriend Scott Borgerson for the past three years.
The In-N-Out burger joint picture was published by the New York Post on Thursday after they obtained it from Saffian, 60.
In the picture, Maxwell is seen staring at the camera with a tray of food and two drinks. A dog, which is understood to be Saffian’s dog named Dexter, is at her feet.
Maxwell is reading a book in the picture but the title is not visible. The New York Post named the book as, The Book of Honor: The Secret Lives and Deaths of CIA Operatives.
According to the photograph’s metadata, reviewed by DailyMail.com, the photograph is tagged with ‘Meadowgate’. Metadata provides information about the rights of the photograph to users.
Saffian is president of Meadowgate Media Investments Inc, according to public records.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Saffian for comment.
According to the New York Post, the person taking the photo had surprised Maxwell, who has not spoken publicly on Epstein’s arrest or suicide. Maxwell apparently told an ‘onlooker’ at the In-N-Out Burger, ‘Well, I guess this is the last time I’ll be eating here!’
The New York Post’s original story reported that Maxwell had been spotted at the burger joint by a ‘regular’ diner who claimed to have recognized her from television, and asked: ‘Are you who I think you are?’
Rather than denying it or fleeing, Maxwell reportedly responded: ‘Yes, I am.’
Numerous media outlets, following up on the story, quoted the mystery diner from the pages of the Post. But in later editions online, the Post inexplicably dropped all mention of the diner’s serendipitous discovery, instead saying that Maxwell was merely surprised to have been found.
The release of the photo has been plagued with questions surrounding apparent inconsistencies.