Supreme Court Lets Maxwell Conviction Stand; Trump Weighs Pardon

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s final appeal, leaving intact her 2021 sex‑trafficking conviction and 20‑year prison sentence. Maxwell’s lawyers had argued that a 2007 non‑prosecution agreement for Jeffrey Epstein should have barred her prosecution, but lower courts rejected that claim and the justices gave no explanation for refusing review. The decision preserves lower‑court findings amid continued public pressure for release of Justice Department files related to Epstein’s 2019 death. Maxwell has sought clemency, met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche this year, and was moved to a minimum‑security federal facility with a scheduled release date of July 17, 2037. In remarks in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump said he would "have to take a look" and would consult the Justice Department before commenting on a possible pardon, at times appearing unfamiliar with her name and noting that others, including Sean "Diddy" Combs, have sought clemency. Those comments have reignited media and political debate over potential clemency, accountability for Epstein‑linked figures and victims’ justice.