Ghislaine Maxwell Files Petition Seeking Release From Federal Prison Following Meeting with Trump Official

Convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell has filed a petition asking a federal judge to release her from prison, according to new court filings reported by The New York Times.

Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence at a minimum-security federal prison camp in Texas, submitted a habeas corpus petition this week through her attorney, David Oscar Markus. The filing, made in Manhattan federal court, did not specify the legal grounds for her request.

Maxwell, a British socialite and longtime associate of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested in July 2020 on charges connected to Epstein’s sexual exploitation of underage girls. Following a high-profile trial in December 2021, a jury convicted her on five of six counts, including sex trafficking of a minor. Prosecutors argued that Maxwell played a key role in recruiting and grooming victims for Epstein.

The new petition follows scrutiny that intensified earlier this year after a private July meeting between Maxwell and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. The meeting drew criticism because of Blanche’s longstanding ties to President Donald Trump.

Legal experts and watchdog groups questioned why a high-ranking Justice Department official met behind closed doors with a convicted sex trafficker, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest and whether the meeting could be perceived as an effort to protect powerful figures connected to Epstein.

The Justice Department did not provide details about the purpose or content of the meeting, and it remains unclear whether Maxwell’s latest legal filing is related.

Maxwell continues to serve her federal sentence while her petition awaits judicial review.