US judge denies Ghislaine Maxwell’s ‘frivolous’ bid to throw out conviction

What the report says

A US federal judge has rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s latest attempt to overturn her sex-trafficking convictions, dismissing the filing as “meritless” and “frivolous,” according to Al Jazeera. The ruling was issued by Judge Paul Engelmayer in a 67-page opinion made public on Tuesday, and it denied Maxwell’s post-conviction challenge under a federal procedure used to contest sentences after trial.

Maxwell, 63, is serving a 20-year prison term after a jury convicted her in December 2021 on five felony counts linked to helping Jeffrey Epstein recruit and abuse underage girls. Her conviction was upheld by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in 2024, and the US Supreme Court declined to take up a later appeal last year. She is currently eligible for release in 2037.

Al Jazeera reports that Maxwell’s petition relied heavily on recently released records made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a law passed in late 2025 that required the Justice Department to disclose the files. Maxwell argued the materials supported her claims that her trial and sentencing were unconstitutional. Engelmayer, however, said the records undermined her position rather than helping it.

The judge also cited inconsistencies in Maxwell’s account of her role in Epstein’s operation and said any appeal of his ruling would not be taken in good faith. The decision matters because it closes off another major legal route for Maxwell as public scrutiny continues over the broader Epstein network and government handling of related files.