SEX trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell is appealing this week against her conviction — after she entered into a million-dollar divorce settlement.
Her challenge is expected now that the papers have been filed with a US court to finalize her divorce from husband Scott Borgerson.
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But under the terms of the settlement, Maxwell will receive only a small portion of her fortune, estimated at £25 million.
A source said: “Ghislaine has been awaiting her appeal for a long time and she believes she has a technically strong case.
“However, even if her appeal succeeds, she would not have enough money to fund a new trial.”
Maxwell, 61, transferred her fortune and real estate portfolio to a fund controlled by her tech entrepreneur husband while she was on the run.
But when their marriage ended, Mr Borgerson, whom she married in 2016, refused to release funds to pay her appeal or her legal bills.
A source said: “The paperwork for the divorce has been filed, but it comes with a price tag.
“Ghislaine lived a life of unimaginable luxury off private jets and luxury yachts.
“But now, between her legal bills and the divorce, she’s broke.”
Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June last year after pleading guilty to obtaining teenage girls for her former sex offender lover Jeffrey Epstein.
Last year, Prince Andrew — a one-time close friend of Maxwell — agreed to pay Virginia Giuffre a reported £12 million to settle the sexual assault case she brought against him.
Ms. Giuffre claimed the Prince had sex with her three times when she was 17, a claim he has made repeatedly denied.
The court heard that a girl, who was only 16 at the time, received a nude massage from Maxwell.
Maxwell hired attorney Arthur Aidala, who represented the disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Maxwell’s 30-page, 22,000-word appeal is due Tuesday.
Her legal team will focus on technical claims that the judge in her case did not correctly apply the law.