Federal judge rejects Maxwell's attempt to overturn trafficking conviction

A U.S. judge has rejected Ghislaine Maxwell's latest attempt to overturn her conviction, in August 2026. Maxwell was found guilty in December 2021 of helping financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. She is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.

Maxwell argued that newly released files about Epstein proved that evidence was hidden from her trial and that some testimony was false. Judge Paul Engelmayer disagreed. He said her claims had no merit and that the new materials actually supported her guilt rather than her innocence.

Maxwell had also asked the court to declare her imprisonment unlawful. That request was denied. Both an appeals court and the Supreme Court had already refused to help her. She remains the only person convicted for crimes connected to Epstein.