Ghislaine Maxwell is making a last-ditch bid to erase her 2021 federal sex trafficking conviction — and she’s taking her case straight to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Maxwell’s legal team argues she should never have been prosecuted because she was covered by Jeffrey Epstein’s notorious 2007 plea deal with South Florida prosecutors — an agreement that promised not to charge “any potential co-conspirators” tied to Epstein.
That plea bargain allowed Epstein to plead guilty to state charges of soliciting prostitution from minors, serve just 13 months in jail, and avoid federal prosecution. Miami’s U.S. Attorney’s Office also agreed not to pursue criminal charges against several unnamed individuals — a protection Maxwell’s attorneys say applies to her.
The Justice Department under President Donald Trump disagrees, calling Maxwell’s claim “incorrect” and noting that the non-prosecution agreement did not bind federal prosecutors in New York, who brought her to trial.
Maxwell, now serving a 20-year sentence, was convicted on five of six counts in December 2021, including sex trafficking conspiracy and enticing minors for illegal sex acts. Her lawyers — husband-and-wife duo David and Mona Markus — insist the case isn’t about Epstein’s crimes, but about “what the government promised.”
They’ve also suggested Maxwell has been made a scapegoat, taking the fall for Epstein’s entire sex-trafficking operation.
Last week, Maxwell sat for more than nine hours of questioning with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, fielding queries about over 100 people connected to Epstein. Markus hinted they may seek a presidential pardon, saying “things are happening so quickly” and noting that Trump has acknowledged having the power to grant one.
When asked on Friday if he’d pardon Maxwell, Trump didn’t shut the door: “I’m allowed to do it, but it’s something I haven’t thought about.”
The Supreme Court will now decide whether to even hear Maxwell’s appeal — a decision that could either hand her a rare legal lifeline or cement her conviction forever.