Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted accomplice of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, asked a federal court Wednesday to vacate or modify her conviction and 20-year prison sentence for sex trafficking of minors and other crimes, a move that could complicate the release of Epstein’s files as required by a new law.
Maxwell exhausted all of her direct appeals but filed a far-reaching habeas petition that claims “substantial new evidence has emerged” showing she did not receive a fair trial, according to Maxwell’s filing in federal court in New York.
“This newly available evidence, derived from litigation against the Federal Bureau of Investigation, various financial institutions, and the estate of Jeffrey Epstein, as well as from affidavits, published records, and other verified sources, shows that exculpatory information was withheld, false testimony was presented, and material facts were misrepresented to the jury and court,” Maxwell wrote in a habeas petition, which she filed “pro se,” without an attorney.
Maxwell’s latest effort to get relief from the courts comes as the Justice Department faces a Friday deadline to publicly disclose its investigative files on Epstein and Maxwell in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump last month.
In this Sept. 20, 2013, file photo, Ghislaine Maxwell attends an event in New York.
Laura Cavanaugh/Getty Images, FILE
Maxwell’s newly filed petition presents a possible twist in the long-running controversy. The Epstein Records Transparency Act contains exemptions that allow Attorney General Pam Bondi to withhold certain records if their release would jeopardize active criminal investigations or prosecutions.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
