British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn her sex trafficking conviction, arguing that a 2007 non-prosecution agreement with Jeffrey Epstein should have shielded her from federal charges.
Maxwell was convicted in New York in 2021 and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
In a filing Monday, her attorneys said the federal government violated its own agreement not to prosecute Epstein’s alleged co-conspirators. Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to state charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution as part of the deal, which Maxwell’s lawyers argue applied nationwide, not just in Florida.
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A lower court previously ruled against Maxwell, but her case has gained renewed attention.
Her attorney met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche last week, as the Trump administration faces growing pressure to be more transparent about the Epstein case. Supporters of the president have long called for the release of the so-called Epstein files, which the administration has promised to disclose.
Earlier this month, however, the Justice Department and FBI released a joint memo stating that a review of the Epstein case found no “incriminating client list.”
After backlash followed, President Trump called on the attorney general to seek grand jury testimony. Days later, Blanche announced he would meet with Maxwell.
It remains unclear what resulted from the meeting. Maxwell’s attorney said she answered every question asked but noted that a presidential pardon was not discussed.
