Ghislaine Maxwell seeks SCOTUS reversal of sex-trafficking conviction
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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.
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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.
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.
