The disgraced British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has appealed her conviction and conviction for smuggling young girls.
The 60-year-old was sentenced to 20 years in prison last month after being found guilty by a jury of luring young girls into massage rooms to be abused by former financier Jeffrey Epstein between 1994 and 2004.
Maxwell’s lawyers had said they would appeal the conviction after it emerged that one of the jurors in her trial had not revealed that he had been sexually assaulted.
But in a written ruling, Judge Alison Nathan said the jury’s convictions were “easily supported” by witness statements and documentary evidence, as Maxwell’s attempt to overturn the conviction was dismissed.
Prosecutors described Maxwell as “dangerous” during her three-week trial, when jurors learned how she lured the young girls to Epstein to sexually assault him.
Judge Nathan went on to say it was important that while “Epstein was central to this plan,” she was not convicted “as agent” for him.
She said, “The defendant’s behavior … was atrocious and predatory.
“Mrs. Maxwell worked with Epstein to select young victims who were vulnerable and played a critical role in facilitating sexual abuse.”
Maxwell has been imprisoned since July 2020.
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