Ghislaine Maxwell's Appeal Rejected by US Supreme Court: 20-Year Sentence Upheld

Sat Oct 11 2025 06:02:25 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The US Supreme Court has declined to hear Ghislaine Maxwell's appeal regarding her sex-trafficking conviction, solidifying her 20-year imprisonment as she seeks new legal pathways.

The US Supreme Court has rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal against her conviction linked to the sex-trafficking activities of her former boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein. This decision maintains her 20-year sentence, as her team expresses disappointment but vows to pursue alternative legal routes. Meanwhile, family members of Epstein's victim, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, welcome the court's ruling and advocate for Maxwell to serve her sentence at a maximum-security facility.

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 she serves her full sentence.

Maxwell's conviction arose from her involvement in facilitating Epstein's abuse, with prosecutors indicating that she was actively engaged in recruiting and grooming underage girls from 1994 to 2004.

Despite the Supreme Court's decision, speculation persists regarding the potential for a presidential pardon. The White House, however, has affirmed that no leniency is being given or discussed. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated that they do not comment on clemency requests.

Maxwell has also recently been interviewed by federal agents as part of an ongoing inquiry into Epstein's sex-trafficking operations, and she was moved to a minimum-security prison facility in Texas.

This decision and Maxwell's ongoing legal struggles highlight the complicated nature of the Epstein case, with further releases of investigative documents igniting public interest and calls for transparency around the wealthy individuals associated with Epstein.