Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen correspondent: An Israeli drone strike targeted the town of Al-Qlailah, Southern Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strikes town of Harouf, Nabatieh district.
Factions' statement: The attendees agreed to support and continue implementing the ceasefire agreement measures, including the withdrawal of the occupation and lifting the siege.
Factions' statement: Calling for an end to all forms of torture and violations against prisoners in occupation prisons and the necessity of obligating the occupation to do so.
Statement: The current moment is crucial, making the meeting a true turning point toward national unity in defense of our people and their right to life, dignity, and freedom.
Factions' statement: Call for an urgent meeting of all Palestinian forces and factions to agree on a national strategy.
Factions' statement: Continuing joint work to unify visions and positions to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause.
Statement of the factions: Emphasis on the unity of the Palestinian political system and the independent national decision.
Statement: Approval to establish an international committee to oversee the financing and implementation of the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Statement: The committee is responsible for managing life and services in cooperation with Arab brothers and international institutions, based on transparency and accountability.

Ghislaine Maxwell seeks SCOTUS reversal of sex-trafficking conviction

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 28 Jul 2025 23:06
5 Min Read

The petition contends that the Department of Justice, under political and public pressure, is attempting to sidestep a contractual obligation in order to scapegoat Maxwell for Epstein's crimes.

Listen
  • x
  • ap
    David Oscar Markus, an attorney for Ghislaine Maxwell, talks with the media outside the federal courthouse, Friday, July 25, 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla., after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Maxwell, the imprisoned former girlfriend of financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. (AP Photo/Colin Hackley)

Ghislaine Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in Jeffrey Epstein's sex-trafficking network, has formally appealed to the US Supreme Court, seeking to overturn her 2021 conviction. Her legal team argues that a 2007 non-prosecution agreement involving Epstein should have legally protected her from federal charges, an assertion that has resurfaced alongside a recent closed-door meeting between Maxwell and senior Justice Department officials in Florida.

According to attorney David Oscar Markus, who filed the petition, the government is violating a binding deal once made "on behalf of the United States." The petition contends that the Department of Justice, under political and public pressure, is attempting to sidestep a contractual obligation in order to scapegoat Maxwell for Epstein's crimes.

"This case presents a straightforward and important question about the government's obligation to honor its promises in plea and non-prosecution agreements," Markus argued in the filing. "Rather than grapple with the core principles of plea agreements, the government tries to distract by reciting a lurid and irrelevant account of Jeffrey Epstein's misconduct. But this case is about what the government promised, not what Epstein did."

Broken promises and legal precedent

Markus harshly criticized the government's approach, accusing it of "alchemy" rather than lawful interpretation. "The government isn't even asking for the benefit of the doubt; it is asking for a blank check to rewrite its own promise after the fact," the petition states, asserting that plea deals must be strictly construed against the state.

In a post on social media platform X, Markus further invoked President Donald Trump, suggesting he would appreciate the principle at stake: "Trump has built his legacy in part on the power of a deal and would surely agree that the country should respect the agreement it has once made."

The appeal comes just as Maxwell's legal team met with Justice Department officials at the US Attorney's Office in Tallahassee. The meeting, confirmed by ABC News, included Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and occurred amid bipartisan calls for the release of Epstein-related documents.

Related News

US Supreme Court rejects appeals on assault rifle restrictions

Judge blocks Trump move to void work permits for 5,000 Venezuelans

Maxwell's brother Ian told The New York Post she had prepared "new evidence" ahead of the meeting, while Jeffrey Epstein's brother, Mark, added in The Guardian that he'd like to ask Maxwell directly "what the dirt was on Donald Trump," noting Epstein had previously claimed to have damaging information.

Pardon possibility looms as suspicion grows

Earlier that day, Trump acknowledged the possibility of a pardon for Maxwell, stating it would be "inappropriate" to discuss it at the moment, and confirmed he had not yet been approached. Maxwell's team clarified that she had not requested clemency during the meeting, but would not oppose it if offered.

The potential for a pardon, coupled with the Supreme Court petition, has heightened speculation over Maxwell's legal trajectory. It also intensified scrutiny of the Trump administration's ties to the Epstein scandal, particularly after The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump's name appears repeatedly in DOJ files linked to Epstein. The Department, however, has refused to release further documentation from its latest probe, drawing criticism from across the political spectrum.

A recent YouGov poll showed that 40% of Americans believe Trump was connected to Epstein's crimes, while 33% remain unsure. Only 27% rejected the idea outright, underscoring the public's deepening mistrust in how the case has been handled.

Read more: Trump struggles to deflect pressure over Epstein ties: Reuters

Background: The Epstein-Maxwell case

Epstein, arrested in July 2019 on federal sex-trafficking charges, was accused of exploiting dozens of underage girls between 2002 and 2005. He allegedly paid the victims in cash and coerced some into recruiting others, some as young as 14 years old. After being denied bail, Epstein was found dead in his jail cell weeks later in what was officially ruled a suicide.

Maxwell was arrested in 2020 and convicted two years later on charges including conspiracy to entice minors to travel for illegal sex acts and transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

Despite FBI claims this month that no "client list" or blackmail operation existed, public suspicion has persisted, fueled in part by Elon Musk's recent claims that Epstein files remain sealed because they implicate Trump.

As the legal and political fallout continues, Maxwell's case remains a lightning rod for debates about elite impunity, government accountability, and the enduring questions left unanswered in the Epstein scandal.

  • US Supreme Court
  • Trump pardons
  • Epstein Files
  • Jeffrey Epstein
  • Ghislaine Maxwell
  • Epstein

Most Read

From previous scenes of the Qassam Brigades targeting an Israeli D9 bulldozer with a Yassin 105 shell, east of Deir al-Balah. (Military Media of the Qassam Brigades)

US knew fatal Rafah blast cause was not Hamas op., says journalist

  • Politics
  • 20 Oct 2025
'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

'Israel’s Digital Iron Dome: Weaponizing the web against Palestine

  • Technology
  • 24 Oct 2025
Abu Hamza, the spokesperson for the Al-Quds Brigades, during a speech televised on October 22, 2025 (Al-Quds Brigades Military Media)

Al-Quds Brigades' Abu Hamza mourns leaders, vows continued resistance

  • Politics
  • 22 Oct 2025
US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

US missionary kidnapped in Niger capital, suspected taken toward Mali

  • Africa
  • 23 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Undated photo of Hanwha Ocean’s Goeje Shipyard in South Korea (Hanwha Ocean)
Politics

China counters US maritime bloc with sanctions on Hanwha Ocean

Catherine Connolly speaks after being after being elected as the new President of Ireland at Dublin Castle, Ireland, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Connolly wins Irish presidency in blow to political establishment

Buildings destroyed during the Israeli air and ground offensive are seen in the Al-Shati camp, in Gaza City, Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (AP)
Politics

'Israel's' post-ceasefire demolitions in Gaza violate agreement: Hamas

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attends the 17th annual BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, July 7, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran’s Araghchi: Our nuclear bomb is resilience, not weapons

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS