A US federal judge has thrown out Ghislaine Maxwell's bid to overturn her sex trafficking conviction, rejecting her claims that her trial was a "complete miscarriage of justice."
Judge Paul A Engelmayer ruled that Maxwell's habeas petition, which sought to free her from a 20-year prison sentence on the grounds of "substantial new evidence," was "demonstrably meritless."
In a written ruling, the judge said: "Maxwell's petition falls very far from the mark. There is no fact that Maxwell fairly puts in dispute that has any potential to disturb the outcome of her trial."
Claims based on 'speculation, distortions, and/or outright falsehoods'
Judge Engelmayer said Maxwell's arguments were based on "speculation, distortions, and/or outright falsehoods."
Maxwell, 64, filed the habeas petition in December, claiming that information that would have resulted in her exoneration at her 2021 trial was withheld, and that false testimony was presented to the jury. She said the cumulative effect resulted in a "complete miscarriage of justice."
Habeas petitions are often filed as a last resort to protect against unlawful confinement after appeals are exhausted, as happened after Maxwell's conviction and sentencing.
Background to the case
Millionaire financier Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on sex trafficking charges. He was found dead in his cell at a New York federal jail in August 2019, and the death was ruled a suicide.
Maxwell, a British socialite, was arrested a year later and was convicted of sex trafficking in December 2021. She was sentenced to 20 years, with a projected release date of 2037.
In July 2025, she was interviewed by the Justice Department's second-in-command and was moved from a federal prison in Florida to a prison camp in Texas soon afterwards. During the interview, she repeatedly denied witnessing any sexually inappropriate behaviour involving Donald Trump, who has faced scrutiny over his past friendship with Epstein. Maxwell also praised Mr Trump, calling him a "gentleman in all respects."
Related legal developments
Earlier this year, Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a brief video appearance before US lawmakers probing Epstein.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who appeared in a number of photographs with Maxwell, and former spin doctor Peter Mandelson were arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in public office over their connections with Epstein. They were subsequently released under investigation. Andrew has denied any wrongdoing over his links to Epstein.
