The US Supreme Court has declined to hear convicted sex trafficker of girls Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal of her 2021 conviction.
On Monday, the Supreme Court released an order list indicating it would not review a decision by the US Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, as reported by Fox News.
Ghislaine Maxwell, age 63, who was previously linked romantically to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was found guilty on five charges related to sex trafficking minors and conspiracy, receiving a 20-year prison term.
She was transferred from a high-security prison in Florida to a work camp in Texas earlier this summer. This transfer occurred shortly after she had a two-day conversation with Deputy US Attorney General Todd Blanche, during which she stated that she never witnessed President Donald J. Trump engaging in any “inappropriate” actions during his visits with Epstein, including visits to his private island.
Since her conviction, Maxwell has sought both to have her conviction tossed and, more recently, to get a pardon from the president.
In her latest appeal, Maxwell argued that a plea agreement known as a “sweetheart” deal made between Epstein and then US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Alex Acosta in 2007, should have granted her immunity from prosecution. Later, Acosta served as Labor Secretary under Trump’s initial presidency.
The agreement required Epstein to plead guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor and mandated that he register as a sex offender in Florida. This deal also contained a clause providing protection for co-conspirators from prosecution. However, the appeals court determined that the clause applied solely in Florida and not in New York, where Maxwell faced charges and was convicted.
Epstein was subsequently charged with more serious federal offenses related to the sexual abuse of minors but died while in jail, awaiting trial in 2019, with his death officially classified as a suicide.
Maxwell’s attorney, David Markus, told Fox that they would “continue to pursue every avenue available to ensure that justice is done.”
