US judge rejects Ghislaine Maxwell's 'frivolous' appeal against conviction

Ghislaine Maxwell's latest bid to overturn her sex trafficking conviction has been rejected by a US judge, who dismissed her claims as "frivolous" and "meritless".

The 64-year-old is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in procuring girls for the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after being found guilty in December 2021.

Maxwell had appealed against her five felony convictions, claiming her constitutional rights had been "violated in multiple respects".

But a New York judge flatly rejected the appeal, describing it as "lengthy and rambling".

Maxwell said Epstein-related documents released by the US Justice Department earlier this year supported her case that she had been wrongly convicted.

But the judge ruled that "far from exculpating her, it incriminates her or reinforces the correctness" of her conviction.

The judge also said her appeal "falls very far from the mark", adding: "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."

The judge warned Maxwell against making further appeals, saying it "would not be taken in good faith" by the court.

Maxwell appeared virtually before the US House Oversight Committee in February this year but refused to answer questions, invoking her right to remain silent as she pleaded the Fifth Amendment.

Republican House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer said the situation was "very disappointing", adding: "We had many questions to ask about the crimes she and Epstein committed, as well as questions about potential co-conspirators."