A federal judge in New York has authorized the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to publicly release grand jury materials from the sex trafficking investigation of Ghislaine Maxwell.
US District Judge Paul Engelmayer issued the order based on a new law passed by Congress. This law requires the DOJ to publish files related to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein by December 19.
Legal Mandate Overrides Secrecy
The court’s decision reverses prior rulings that kept the records sealed. Judges previously cited federal rules that mandated grand jury secrecy.
However, the new legislation, the Epstein Files Transparency Act, overrides those rules. The DOJ is now compelled to release “all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials” related to Epstein and Maxwell.
- Victim Protection: Judge Engelmayer’s ruling mandates that the court must implement measures to protect victims. These steps will prevent the release of materials that could identify them or invade their privacy.
- Congressional Action: President Donald Trump signed the Act into law in November, following mounting political pressure.
- Florida Precedent: This order follows a similar ruling last Friday, where a Florida judge allowed the unsealing of documents from an abandoned federal investigation into Epstein dating back to 2005.
Ghislaine Maxwell’s Status
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for her role in the scheme. She was found guilty of luring and grooming underage girls for exploitation by Epstein, who died in prison in 2019.
- Sentence: Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.Location: She was transferred from a Florida prison to a minimum-security facility in Texas in August.
- Defense Stance: Maxwell’s legal team informed the court that she did not object to the DOJ’s motion to release the grand jury material.
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