In brief
The US Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal from Ghislaine Maxwell, leaving her 20-year sentence for sex trafficking intact. Her legal team expressed disappointment but plans to explore further options. Maxwell was convicted of helping Jeffrey Epstein exploit underage girls. Victims' families welcomed the court's decision and seek accountability for the entire network involved.
The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Ghislaine Maxwell against her sex-trafficking conviction.
Without providing an explanation, the court declined to hear the former British socialite's appeal, which means her 20-year sentence will remain in place barring a presidential pardon.
Her lawyer, David Oscar Markus, told the BBC that her team was deeply disappointed but would continue exploring legal avenues to ensure that justice is done.
Maxwell was convicted for her role in luring underage girls for her former boyfriend, the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, to exploit. Epstein died in prison in 2019.
Family members of late Epstein victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre expressed gratitude for the court's denial and are committed to ensuring Maxwell serves her full sentence. The US Justice Department did not immediately comment.
Maxwell was found guilty in 2021 of facilitating Epstein's abuse. Prosecutors stated that she recruited and groomed girls, some as young as 14, for Epstein's exploitation between 1994 and 2004.
Maxwell's lawyers had argued against the conviction, claiming she should never have been tried for her role. Speculation about a possible pardon from President Trump has arisen, but the White House reiterated there would be no leniency discussed.
The investigative files surrounding Epstein's case have ignited political debates, with calls increasing for full disclosure to understand the extent of Epstein's associations with powerful figures.
Maxwell was recently moved to a minimum-security prison facility in Texas, where she denied witnessing any inappropriate conduct by Trump during his dealings with Epstein.
Her family members remain hopeful for proper accountability, asserting she belongs in a maximum-security prison.
