The US Supreme Court has declined to hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal against her sex-trafficking conviction, effectively upholding her 20-year prison sentence. No explanation was provided for the court’s decision.
Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, told the BBC that the legal team was “deeply disappointed” but would continue exploring avenues to ensure justice is served.
Maxwell, a former British socialite, was convicted in 2021 of recruiting and grooming underage girls for sexual exploitation by her former boyfriend, financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in prison in 2019. Prosecutors said some victims were as young as 14 and were abused between 1994 and 2004.
The US Justice Department has not commented on Monday’s Supreme Court ruling. Maxwell was recently interviewed by federal agents about her knowledge of Epstein’s activities and potential involvement of others.
Her lawyers argued in previous appeals that she should never have been tried or convicted for her role in Epstein’s scheme.
Speculation has circulated over the possibility of a presidential pardon, but the White House has stated that no leniency is being considered.
Maxwell was transferred in July to the Federal Prison Camp (FPC) in Bryan, Texas, a minimum-security facility about 100 miles from Austin.
During her interviews with federal officials, Maxwell denied witnessing any inappropriate conduct by former President Donald Trump in relation to Epstein.
The case has drawn sustained public attention, with documents including grand jury testimony becoming a political flashpoint amid calls for their release.
Maxwell’s sentence will remain in effect unless altered through a presidential pardon or other legal intervention.