The United States Supreme Court has rejected British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell’s final appeal against her sex-trafficking conviction, a decision that ensures her 20-year prison sentence remains intact barring a presidential pardon.
The nation’s highest court declined to hear Maxwell’s case on Monday without providing any explanation, marking a significant setback for the 63-year-old former associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The rejection comes as Maxwell serves her sentence at a minimum-security federal prison in Texas, where she was moved in controversial circumstances following interviews with Justice Department officials.
Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, expressed deep disappointment with the Supreme Court’s decision, telling reporters his team would continue pursuing legal avenues. “We’re, of course, deeply disappointed that the Supreme Court declined to hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s case,” Markus said. “But this fight isn’t over. Serious legal and factual issues remain, and we will continue to pursue every avenue available to ensure that justice is done.”
The decision means Maxwell’s conviction on five counts, including sex trafficking a minor, transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and three related conspiracy charges, will stand. She was found guilty in December 2021 following a month-long jury trial and sentenced to 240 months in prison in June 2022 for her role in a scheme to sexually exploit and abuse multiple underage girls with Epstein over the course of a decade.
Maxwell’s legal team had argued she should have been shielded from prosecution under a controversial non-prosecution agreement that Epstein struck with federal authorities in Florida in 2008. The agreement included provisions that potential co-conspirators of Epstein would not be prosecuted by the United States. However, Maxwell was later charged by prosecutors in New York, sparking her Supreme Court challenge.
The appeal centred on a circuit split amongst federal courts about whether a non-prosecution agreement with “the United States” binds every US attorney’s office nationwide or only applies to the specific district that negotiated it. Maxwell’s attorneys contended that the language of Epstein’s agreement should have protected her from prosecution anywhere in the country, not just in Florida’s Southern District.
The Justice Department opposed Maxwell’s appeal, with Solicitor General D. John Sauer acknowledging the circuit split but urging the Supreme Court to reject her petition. Government prosecutors maintained that Maxwell was not a party to the agreement and was not involved in negotiating its terms.
The backdrop to Maxwell’s legal battle has become increasingly politicised amid intense scrutiny over the so-called Epstein files. Family members of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers who died by suicide in April 2025, have been vocal critics of any potential leniency for Maxwell. Following reports of Maxwell’s July meeting with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Giuffre’s family members, including siblings Sky and Amanda Roberts and their spouses Danny and Lanette Wilson, expressed their opposition to any preferential treatment.
“The government and the President should never consider giving Ghislaine Maxwell any leniency,” the family said in a statement. “Maxwell destroyed many young lives, and she was convicted for only a fraction of the crimes she actually committed.”
Speculation has mounted about whether President Donald Trump might grant Maxwell clemency. When asked about a potential pardon in July, Trump stated he hadn’t thought about it but acknowledged, “I’m allowed to do it.” A senior administration official later clarified that “no leniency is being given or discussed,” adding that clemency for Maxwell “is not something he is even thinking about at this time.”
The controversy intensified following Maxwell’s unusual July interviews with Blanche, Trump’s former personal attorney who now serves as Deputy Attorney General. Maxwell was granted limited immunity by the Justice Department to answer questions about the child sex-trafficking ring, with her lawyer stating she answered questions about “maybe 100 different people” over two days of interviews.
Shortly after those meetings, Maxwell was transferred from the Federal Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida, to Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Texas. The minimum-security facility, located roughly 100 miles from Houston, houses approximately 635 female inmates and has previously held high-profile prisoners including Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes and reality television personality Jen Shah.
The transfer sparked criticism from prison experts who described it as “highly unusual” for a convicted sex offender, as Bureau of Prisons policy typically requires sex offenders to be housed in at least low-security facilities unless a waiver is granted. Giuffre’s family described the move as “a cover up,” stating they “remain hopeful that the DOJ will realise that she belongs in a maximum security prison, not the country club one she is currently in.”
Maxwell’s crimes stemmed from a decade-long scheme with Epstein. Prosecutors established that from at least 1994 through 2004, Maxwell assisted, facilitated, and participated in Epstein’s abuse of underage girls, some as young as 14. Trial evidence revealed she befriended victims, normalised sexual abuse, and was present during Epstein’s assaults on minors at properties in New York, Florida, New Mexico, and London.
At Maxwell’s sentencing in 2022, US Attorney Damian Williams said, “Today’s sentence holds Ghislaine Maxwell accountable for perpetrating heinous crimes against children. This sentence sends a strong message that no one is above the law and it is never too late for justice.”
Epstein, a wealthy New York financier who once counted presidents, princes, and business tycoons amongst his associates, died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 whilst awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide by the medical examiner, though conspiracy theories about his demise have persisted.
With the Supreme Court’s rejection, Maxwell has exhausted her direct criminal appeals. The federal Bureau of Prisons lists Maxwell’s projected release date as 17 July 2037, meaning she faces more than a decade remaining on her sentence. Her legal options now appear limited to potential habeas corpus petitions or executive clemency from the president.
The case continues to generate intense public interest, with congressional committees seeking Maxwell’s testimony about Epstein’s network. The Republican-led House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Maxwell for a deposition, though she has demanded immunity before testifying, a request that has been denied.
During Maxwell’s trial, only one witness used her real name whilst testifying. Annie Farmer spoke out after the conviction, saying, “I hope that this verdict brings solace to all who need it. Even those with great power and privilege will be held accountable when they sexually abuse and exploit the young.”
The Supreme Court’s decision to decline Maxwell’s appeal was announced as part of dozens of cases the justices rejected at the start of their new nine-month term. The court provided no indication of how many justices, if any, supported hearing Maxwell’s appeal.
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Image Credit:
Ghislaine Maxwell — mug shot image on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0
