Former Reddit CEO Ellen Pao Draws Criticism For Saying "We All Knew" About Ghislaine Maxwell In 2011

Former Reddit CEO Ellen Pao has drawn criticism for saying that she and others knew about Ghislaine Maxwell supplying underage girls to Jeffrey Epstein back in 2011, eight years before he was finally arrested.

Pao raised eyebrows when she tweeted that she had "no desire" to have a photo taken with her when the pair attended a party in 2011 because "we knew about her supplying underage girls for sex."

Naturally, this was a huge issue for many who were dumbfounded that Pao and others could have known about Maxwell's involvement with Epstein and not have said or done anything. However, rumors about Epstein and Maxwell had been circulating for years prior to Epstein's arrest. Pao clarified that Maxwell had been described in the press as supplying underage girls for sex, but she had not been charged. "I guess it would be more accurate to say we 'suspected' v 'knew,'" she wrote. She also clarified she was a junior partner at the time and did not feel comfortable speaking out.

To be clear, the press had described her as supplying underage girls for sex, but she had not been charged so I guess it would be more accurate to say we "suspected" v "knew" https://t.co/N4nBWJxqXt

— Ellen K. Pao (@ekp) July 6, 2020

This did not mollify her critics as she'd hoped. "She’s right, you’ve got to be a senior partner before you can take a stand against exploiting children," quipped @PennsyltuckyJCA. @therealzack87 likened her silence to Germans who knew about what was happening in the Holocaust but remained silent.

She’s right, you’ve got to be a senior partner before you can take a stand against exploiting children.

Hey, Ms Pao. The sleaze bags you worked for may not have cared but the rest of us would have. Sounds like your real goal was to join the sleaze bag inner circle.

— jason anderson (@PennsyltuckyJCA) July 6, 2020

It's called 'passive complicity', Ellen. pic.twitter.com/d7wV7Y2OwA

— Zack, Tired of the Lies (@therealZack87) July 7, 2020

Pao's comment underlines just how much of an unfortunate, open secret Epstein and Maxwell's sex trafficking was to those in power--and how those in the know didn't do enough to stop it.