Ghislaine Maxwell‘s prison release bid has been rejected by a federal judge. Judge Paul Engelmayer denied her request to overturn her conviction and sentence. He described her arguments as “demonstrably meritless.” Maxwell remains behind bars after her failed legal challenge.
The judge labels the arguments presented by Ghislaine Maxwell’s defence team as meritless.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Maxwell sought to overturn her 2021 sex trafficking conviction. She also challenged her 20-year prison sentence. Her defence claimed the conviction represented a “complete miscarriage of justice.” However, the judge rejected the arguments presented by her legal team.
Engelmayer said Maxwell’s claims relied on “speculation, distortions, and/or outright falsehoods.” He also found that no disputed fact could have changed her trial’s outcome. The ruling therefore delivered another setback to Maxwell’s efforts to leave prison.
Maxwell had argued that prosecutors withheld evidence that could have helped her case. She also claimed prosecutors presented false testimony to jurors. Her defence further pointed to recently released materials connected to Jeffrey Epstein.
The materials came from a large Department of Justice release of Epstein-related files. Maxwell argued that the documents provided substantial new evidence. However, the judge found much of the supposed new evidence irrelevant to her case.
Some of Maxwell’s arguments were also blocked for procedural reasons. The court determined that certain claims had already been raised on appeal. Others could have been presented during her earlier appeal. The judge therefore found those arguments could not be revived through her latest challenge.
The court also noted that some nearly released material worked against Maxwell. Rather than supporting her claims, certain documents reportedly hurt her case. That further weakened her argument for overturning the conviction.
Maxwell was convicted in December 2021 for her role in recruiting and grooming underage girls for Jeffrey Epstein. She received a 20-year prison sentence the following year. Her conviction and sentence were later upheld on appeal.
The Supreme Court also declined to hear Maxwell’s case. Her latest request therefore represented another attempt to challenge the conviction. The federal judge’s ruling has now delivered another major blow to her prison release efforts.
