Ghislaine Maxwell conviction

A federal appeals court has upheld Ghislaine Maxwell's convictions for sex trafficking and related charges stemming from her role in facilitating Jeffrey Epstein's abuse of underage girls. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined that a controversial 2007 non-prosecution agreement Epstein secured with federal prosecutors in Florida did not apply to Maxwell's case in New York. The court ruled that there was 'no error' in the original judgment, which found Maxwell guilty of recruiting and grooming minors for Epstein, affirming her 20-year prison sentence. Maxwell's defense argued that the jury was biased and that her prosecution violated the non-prosecution agreement, but these claims were dismissed. Additionally, the court noted that charges against Maxwell were not subject to a statute of limitations due to the nature of the crimes. Maxwell, currently imprisoned, is eligible for release in 2037 but may seek further appeal in the Supreme Court.