Ghislaine Maxwell's Latest Bid To Escape 20-Year Sentence Branded as 'Meritless' By Judge

Ghislaine Maxwell's latest attempt to overturn her 20-year prison sentence for helping Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse underage girls has been rejected by a US federal judge, who described her constitutional claims as 'meritless' and largely 'frivolous'.

US District Judge Paul Engelmayer rejected Maxwell's habeas corpus petition in a 67-page decision issued in Manhattan on Tuesday. The 64-year-old former British socialite had argued that newly released documents from the US Department of Justice supported her claim that she was wrongly convicted.

Engelmayer said the material did not provide grounds to overturn Maxwell's conviction. Where the documents were relevant, he said they either incriminated her or reinforced previous legal findings against her, leaving her 20-year sentence intact.

Judge Rejects Maxwell's Latest Claims

Maxwell was convicted in December 2021 on five charges for recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein to abuse between 1994 and 2004. She has maintained that her constitutional rights were violated during her trial and sentencing.

In her latest petition, Maxwell represented herself and sought a writ of habeas corpus, a legal procedure used to challenge the lawfulness of imprisonment. She argued that prosecutors had improperly withheld evidence and that lawyers representing Epstein's accusers had acted as 'de facto prosecutors'.

She also criticised the government's handling of its investigation into Epstein and cited the failure to interview people connected to him, including billionaire Leslie Wexner. Maxwell further challenged aspects of witness evidence and material from earlier investigations.

Engelmayer said many claims repeated arguments Maxwell had previously raised unsuccessfully or had failed to introduce during her trial. He described the petition as 'lengthy and rambling' and said its claims relied on speculation, distortions or unsupported assertions.

The judge rejected Maxwell's allegation that prosecutors had illegally withheld evidence, describing it as 'conclusory, cynical, and wrong'. He also warned that any further appeal would not be taken in good faith by the court.

Epstein Files Form Part of Challenge

The ruling follows the US government's release of large volumes of investigative material relating to Epstein under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed last year.

The newly released documents formed part of Maxwell's argument that her conviction should be overturned. However, Engelmayer concluded that the material did not undermine the evidence against her and, where relevant, instead supported earlier findings.

The wider release has renewed scrutiny of Epstein's relationships with prominent figures and contributed to renewed public attention on the case. However, the documents' relevance to Maxwell's petition was the central issue before Engelmayer.

Maxwell's Remaining Legal Options

Maxwell's latest petition follows the US Supreme Court's refusal last October to hear an earlier challenge to her conviction. That appeal included arguments connected to a 2008 non-prosecution agreement involving Epstein.

In February, Maxwell appeared virtually before the US House Oversight Committee after being subpoenaed to answer questions about Epstein and potential co-conspirators. She declined to answer, invoking her constitutional right against self-incrimination. Her lawyer said she would cooperate only if granted executive clemency.

The US Senate later passed a resolution opposing any presidential pardon for Maxwell.

Maxwell remains at a minimum-security federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas, and is eligible for release in July 2037, when she will be 75.