Maxwell Files Last-Ditch Bid to Toss Sex Trafficking Conviction Days Before Epstein Files Release
Ghislaine Maxwell has asked a federal court to set aside her 2021 conviction and 20-year sentence for sex trafficking linked to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, a move that could reverberate as previously sealed Epstein files near public release.
Her petition, filed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court pro se, meaning she is representing herself, argues that substantial new evidence has emerged that undermined the fairness of her trial and violated her constitutional rights.
Maxwell’s filing comes after all direct appeals were exhausted and the Supreme Court declined to review her case earlier this year. She contends in her habeas corpus petition that key exculpatory information was withheld from the jury, false testimony was presented, and juror misconduct occurred, claims she argues would lead no reasonable juror to convict her.
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The timing of the petition is notable. A law passed by Congress this year — the Epstein Files Transparency Act — requires the Justice Department to publicly release most investigative records related to Epstein and Maxwell by Dec. 19, 2025. Maxwell’s legal challenge arrives just days before that deadline, raising questions about how her petition might intersect with the disclosure process.
Maxwell’s filing seeks vacatur of her conviction, an evidentiary hearing, and any relief the court deems appropriate.
Lawyers for prosecutors in the Southern District of New York declined to comment on the petition when asked. “The cumulative effect of these constitutional violations constitutes a complete miscarriage of justice,” Maxwell wrote in her filing.
If granted, her petition could lead to a new trial or other court action, a rare legal twist in one of the most scrutinized criminal cases of the past decade. What happens next could influence how and when the government releases secretive files tied to Epstein and the broader public’s understanding of the case.
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