Justice Department attorneys are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reject Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal, arguing her conviction for trafficking underage girls to Jeffrey Epstein should not be overturned.
In a legal filing submitted Monday, federal prosecutors pushed back against claims from Maxwell’s legal team that she should have been protected from prosecution in New York due to a prior non-prosecution agreement (NPA) between Epstein and federal authorities in Florida.
“It would be highly unusual,” the Justice Department argued in the brief, “if the agreement allowed Epstein himself to be charged in another jurisdiction — which eventually happened — while simultaneously shielding his co-conspirators from prosecution nationwide.”
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 by a Manhattan jury for her role in facilitating Epstein’s abuse, including grooming and sexually exploiting teenage girls herself. She is currently serving a 20-year sentence at a low-security federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida.
Interest in the Epstein case — and in Maxwell’s involvement — has reignited in recent weeks. Former Attorney General Pam Bondi and ex-FBI official Kash Patel have previously committed to releasing the so-called “Epstein files,” in line with a campaign pledge by former President Donald Trump.
However, a memo released last week showed that both the Justice Department and FBI now oppose further disclosures, stating that releasing more information would be “neither appropriate nor warranted.” Trump has also tried to downplay the public’s attention on the matter, writing on Truth Social that supporters should “not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein.”
