NEW YORK — U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer in the Southern District of New York rejected Ghislaine Maxwell's petition to vacate her 2021 sex-trafficking conviction and 20-year prison sentence. The ruling, issued on February 10, 2026, denied relief to Maxwell, who is currently serving her sentence at a minimum-security prison camp in Bryan, Texas.

Judge Engelmayer issued a 67-page decision addressing the claims raised by Maxwell. He wrote that Maxwell failed to make a substantial showing that her constitutional rights were denied during her trial or sentencing proceedings. "Maxwell's petition falls very far from the mark," he wrote.

"Nearly all its claims are procedurally barred; the overwhelming testimonial and documentary evidence adduced at trial conclusively established her guilt; and her petition's claims are demonstrably meritless, and generally based on speculation, distortions, and/or outright falsehoods. There is no fact that Maxwell fairly puts in dispute that has any potential to disturb the outcome of her trial."

Engelmayer described Maxwell's filing as lengthy and rambling and stated that her claims were meritless" and "frivolous." The court found that the vast majority of her arguments were procedurally barred because she had either made and lost the same arguments on direct appeal or elected not to raise them at that time. "The vast majority are procedurally barred — either because Maxwell made and lost the same arguments on direct appeal, or because she could have made such arguments on appeal but elected not to do so," he wrote."

Judge Engelmayer certified that any further appeal by Maxwell would not be taken in good faith. This certification restricts the ability to pursue additional appellate review without meeting a higher standard of justification. Engelmayer was appointed as a United States district judge in 2011 by President Barack Obama.

Maxwell represented herself in her petition to vacate her conviction, which she filed in December 2025. She is a British socialite and daughter of Robert Maxwell. Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and refused to answer questions during a virtual appearance before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee earlier this year.

Maxwell was interviewed by then-Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche over the course of two days last summer. The Justice Department made public more than 2.5 million pages of material from its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein following the enactment of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Congress enacted the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November 2025.

Why It Matters

The rejection of Maxwell's petition finalizes the judicial review of her conviction at the district court level, reinforcing the 2021 verdict that held her accountable for facilitating Epstein's crimes. By certifying that further appeals would not be in good faith, the court signaled that the legal basis for challenging the conviction has been exhausted under current procedural standards. The ruling also addresses the impact of recently released government documents, determining that they do not provide grounds for overturning the sentence.

This decision follows legislative and legal developments, including the enactment of the Epstein Files Transparency Act in November 2025 and the Supreme Court's refusal to hear prior appeals. The case remains relevant for its connection to the broader investigation into Epstein's network and the legal precedents set regarding the admissibility of newly released investigative materials in post-conviction relief petitions.

Timeline

Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges in New York. Maxwell was convicted in December 2021 on five felony counts related to facilitating Epstein's sexual abuse of minors. Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison on June 28, 2022.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Maxwell's appeal regarding the 2007 nonprosecution agreement between federal prosecutors and Epstein in October 2025. Maxwell represented herself in her petition to vacate her conviction in December 2025. On February 10, 2026, Judge Engelmayer wrote that new evidence Maxwell raised, including documents from the federal investigation into Epstein, "incriminates her or reinforces the correctness of the legal rulings Maxwell challenges."

What's New

Judge Engelmayer stated that the purported new evidence Maxwell pointed to, principally materials released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, is largely irrelevant to the charges against Maxwell and does not support her claims of error. Maxwell represented herself in her petition to vacate her conviction. Maxwell is eligible for release in July 2037.

Maxwell is a British socialite and daughter of Robert Maxwell. Paul Engelmayer was appointed as a United States district judge in 2011 by President Barack Obama.