Ghislaine Maxwell’s final attempt to secure her freedom was denied by the US Supreme Court, rejecting her appeal against her criminal conviction. The decision marks the end of the British socialite’s efforts to reverse her 20-year prison sentence for her involvement in grooming and trafficking girls for wealthy sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Maxwell now pins her hopes for early release on a potential presidential pardon from former associate Donald Trump.
The court dismissed Maxwell’s plea during a closed-door “long conference,” where they determine which cases to take on. Federal prosecutors vigorously opposed Maxwell’s appeal, contending that her conviction in 2021 did not violate Epstein’s prior deal with Florida prosecutors.
Following the ruling, Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, expressed disappointment at the Supreme Court’s decision but vowed to continue pursuing all available legal avenues to seek justice.
In her petition filed in April, Maxwell argued that her prosecution was precluded by a contentious non-prosecution agreement that shielded Epstein from further federal charges in 2008. Maxwell claimed that the agreement, which allowed Epstein to plead guilty to state charges in Florida, also protected his associates from facing additional charges. Prosecutors rebutted, asserting that the agreement was restricted to the Florida district and did not grant Maxwell immunity from federal prosecution in other jurisdictions.
Maxwell emphasized that US promises not to prosecute should apply nationwide, insisting that the 2008 deal should be binding across the country. The legal dispute revisited the agreement that spared Epstein from federal prosecution in 2008, despite facing sex trafficking charges in 2019.
Maxwell, a close associate of Prince Andrew, was charged in 2020 with assisting in Epstein’s exploitation of underage girls. Her trial in 2021 portrayed her as a manipulative figure who played a pivotal role in the criminal scheme. She was ultimately found guilty on several counts and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.
The Trump administration’s attorneys urged the Supreme Court to reject Maxwell’s appeal, arguing that her legal contentions lacked merit. Solicitor General D. John Sauer dismissed Maxwell’s interpretation of the nonprosecution agreement as incorrect and unsubstantiated.
Shortly after the administration’s response, senior Justice Department officials reached out to Maxwell’s legal team for an interview as part of an internal review. This move followed Attorney General Pam Bondi’s decision not to disclose additional internal documents related to the Epstein-Maxwell investigation, sparking public outcry.
Maxwell consented to the Justice Department interview and was subsequently transferred to a low-security women’s camp in Texas. At 63 years old, she is expected to serve her sentence there unless granted clemency by Trump.
Despite the case’s decades-old origins, Maxwell’s association with Epstein and Trump remains a contentious political issue, especially amid the lack of full transparency regarding the FBI’s investigation.
With the Supreme Court’s rejection, Maxwell has exhausted her legal options, leaving clemency as her solitary recourse.
