A federal judge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell’s bid to overturn her 2021 sex-trafficking conviction and her 20-year prison sentence tied to Jeffrey Epstein. The judge denies the habeas corpus petition Maxwell filed challenging the legality of her detention and seeking a new trial or release. Multiple outlets report the court characterizes Maxwell’s request as a long-shot effort and dismisses it as meritless.
The judge, identified by NBC News and The Hill as U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer, rules against Maxwell’s claims that information withheld at trial and allegedly false testimony undermined the verdict. Maxwell represents herself in the habeas petition. Outlets differ mainly in emphasis: some focus on the “substantial new evidence” argument being rejected, while others highlight Maxwell’s self-representation and the denial’s effect on her attempts to obtain relief. NBC News also reports the judge warns against further appeals.
Overall, the outlets agree the petition is denied and that the conviction and sentence remain in place.
