Ghislaine Maxwell loses bid to overturn conviction for aiding Epstein

New York: Claims by Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend and longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell that her sex trafficking conviction was a “complete miscarriage of justice” were rejected on Tuesday by a US federal judge who said her assertions were based on “speculation, distortions, and/or outright falsehoods”.

Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said in a written ruling that Maxwell’s habeas petition – a legal procedure challenging her detention – seeking to set aside her conviction and free her from a 20-year prison sentence on the grounds that there was “substantial new evidence” was “demonstrably meritless”.

“Maxwell’s petition falls very far from the mark,” Engelmayer said. “There is no fact that Maxwell fairly puts in dispute that has any potential to disturb the outcome of her trial.”