Ghislaine Maxwell argued in a new court filing that recently released documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein’s case contain evidence that her rights were violated before she was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.
Maxwell, 64, is challenging her December 2021 conviction and sentence in Manhattan federal court, where she is seeking a writ of habeas corpus — a legal request asking a court to review whether her imprisonment is unlawful. Federal prosecutors have argued that her latest claims are either without merit or were filed too late.
In an amended petition made public Wednesday, Maxwell claimed documents released through the Epstein Files Transparency Act show her due process rights were violated because attorneys representing Epstein’s accusers allegedly acted as “de facto prosecutors” and government agents.
open image in galleryMaxwell pointed to a letter from a former federal prosecutor who wrote, “I did what I could,” while describing efforts to assist lawyers for Epstein’s accusers in challenging Epstein’s controversial 2007 non-prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors in Florida.
Maxwell has repeatedly argued that Epstein’s agreement should have protected her from prosecution, but courts have previously rejected that argument.
Her latest habeas petition represents her most expansive effort yet to overturn her conviction, which remains the most significant successful criminal prosecution connected to the Epstein scandal.
open image in galleryShe is relying, in part, on millions of pages of documents released under the federal Epstein files law, signed by President Donald Trump in November after receiving broad congressional support.
U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer is overseeing Maxwell’s case and will review the petition.
Prosecutors reject Maxwell’s claims
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, whose office prosecuted Maxwell, argued that her claims should be dismissed. In a filing made public Wednesday, Clayton said many of Maxwell’s arguments were submitted after legal deadlines, while others were speculative, inaccurate, or failed to show that her trial was unfair.
“In short, the defendant — for multiple, independent reasons — utterly fails to carry her burden to overturn her proper conviction and just sentence,” Clayton wrote.
open image in galleryA spokesperson for some attorneys representing Epstein’s accusers did not immediately comment.
Maxwell is representing herself as she seeks to overturn her conviction on five charges involving allegations that she recruited and groomed underage girls for Epstein between 1994 and 2004.
Her previous appeal focused heavily on Epstein’s non-prosecution agreement, which resulted in his 2008 guilty plea to a Florida state prostitution charge. Epstein served 13 months in jail, a sentence that was later widely criticized as too lenient. The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Maxwell’s appeal in October.
Maxwell challenges prosecutors’ investigation
open image in galleryIn her latest filing, Maxwell also accused prosecutors of failing to properly investigate witnesses and evidence. She cited their decision not to interview Leslie Wexner, the billionaire founder of L Brands, which owns Victoria’s Secret, who hired Epstein to manage his finances.
Wexner, 88, told Congress in February that he ended his relationship with Epstein in 2007 and had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal conduct.
Maxwell argued the newly released documents showed prosecutors failed to conduct “any real investigation of their own,” leading to what she described as misleading information presented to judges and jurors.
open image in galleryHer petition also raised other claims, including alleged problems with witness testimony and accusations that evidence was improperly withheld.
A federal judge delayed the public release of portions of Maxwell’s amended petition so prosecutors could redact information intended to protect the identities of Epstein’s victims.
Epstein died at age 66 in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019, five weeks after being arrested on federal sex trafficking charges. The New York City medical examiner ruled his death a suicide.
Maxwell is currently serving her sentence at a minimum-security federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas. She is eligible for release in July 2037, when she will be 75.