Judge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's bid to overturn conviction and warns against further appeals

U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer rejected Ghislaine Maxwell's attempt to overturn her December 2021 conviction and 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking, according to NBC News. In a decision made public on Tuesday, the judge said Maxwell's claims were all meritless, and all or almost all were frivolous, per the reporting.

Maxwell, 64, had represented herself in challenging her conviction in Manhattan federal court and sought a writ of habeas corpus declaring her punishment unlawful. The BBC reported that the judge described her appeal as "lengthy and rambling" and said it "falls very far from the mark."

Maxwell argued that documents released earlier this year through the Epstein Files Transparency Act showed her due process rights were violated because lawyers representing Epstein's accusers served as "De Facto Prosecutors and agents of the government," according to NBC News. Prosecutors, however, said her latest claims were baseless or filed too late. The judge ruled that the supposedly "new" evidence was largely irrelevant to Maxwell's case and, per BBC reporting, that it "far from exculpating her, it incriminates her or reinforces the correctness" of her conviction.

In his written decision, according to the BBC, Engelmayer stated: "Nearly all its claims are procedurally barred; the overwhelming testimonial and documentary evidence adduced at trial conclusively established her guilt; and her petition's claims are demonstrably meritless, and generally based on speculation, distortions, and/or outright falsehoods."

According to NBC News, Engelmayer found that Maxwell imposed a culture of silence among staff at Epstein's multiple homes as the "lady of the house" and that she and Epstein used methods commonly used by child predators, with Maxwell herself participating in such acts. Per the reporting, prosecutors said she recruited and groomed girls, some as young as 14, between 1994 and 2004, before they were abused by Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.

The judge warned Maxwell against making further appeals. According to NBC News, Engelmayer said Maxwell has not made a substantial showing of a denial of a constitutional right, an appellate review is not warranted, and any further appeal would not be taken in good faith. The BBC reported that the judge warned any further appeals "would not be taken in good faith" by the court.

Maxwell appeared virtually before the U.S. House Oversight Committee in February, per BBC reporting, but refused to answer questions, invoking her right to remain silent as she pleaded the Fifth Amendment. Republican House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer said at the time that the situation was "very disappointing" and that the committee had "many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein committed, as well as questions about potential co-conspirators." According to BBC reporting, Maxwell has previously sought a pardon from President Trump. When asked in October whether he would consider pardoning Maxwell, Trump said he "wouldn't consider it or not consider it," adding "I don't know anything about it, so I will speak to the [Department of Justice]." The U.S. Senate last month passed a resolution declaring its opposition to a presidential pardon for Maxwell, per BBC reporting.