U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer on Tuesday rejected Ghislaine Maxwell's attempt to overturn her conviction and 20-year prison sentence for aiding Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse of teenage girls.
Maxwell, 64, filed a habeas corpus petition arguing her due process rights were violated and that newly disclosed documents—released this year under the "Epstein Files Transparency Act"—proved lawyers representing Epstein's accusers had acted as government agents. She sought either her release or a new trial.
Engelmayer found all her claims meritless. He ruled the newly disclosed evidence largely irrelevant to her case and insufficient to warrant overturning her December 2021 conviction from Manhattan federal court.
The judge emphasized Maxwell's direct role in Epstein's crimes. She imposed a culture of silence among staff at Epstein's multiple homes, acted as the "lady of the house," and participated in the predatory acts herself, Engelmayer wrote.
Prosecutors had urged the court to reject the petition, arguing Maxwell's claims were either baseless or filed too late under legal deadlines for such appeals.
Engelmayer concluded Maxwell failed to demonstrate a substantial denial of constitutional rights and determined that an appellate review was not warranted. He also stated that any further appeal would not be considered taken in good faith.
