Ghislaine Maxwell is once again attempting to rewrite the story of her downfall — this time by alleging that dozens of others quietly walked away from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal while she was left to take the fall.
In a lengthy habeas corpus petition filed on Dec. 17, 2025, Maxwell claims that 29 people connected to Epstein — including four co-conspirators and 25 men — reached “secret settlements” related to the case but were never indicted. Courthouse News obtained the full petition, which Maxwell is now using in an effort to have her 2021 sex trafficking conviction overturned.
Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate and fixer, is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence after being found guilty of helping recruit and groom underage girls for Epstein’s abuse. She is incarcerated at FPC Bryan, a minimum-security federal prison in Texas, where she was transferred in July from a higher-security facility.
As interest in the Epstein files has surged into a political flashpoint, Maxwell’s petition argues that the justice system selectively prosecuted her while sparing others. In the filing, she alleges that “4 named co-conspirators” and 25 men reached undisclosed settlements tied to Epstein’s crimes but avoided criminal charges altogether.
The petition does not identify who the 29 individuals are. However, Maxwell claims their existence demonstrates unequal treatment and undermines the legitimacy of her conviction.
The filing comes after a series of extraordinary developments. Over the summer, Maxwell reportedly met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and discussed as many as 100 former Epstein associates. She was also subpoenaed to testify before Congress and has separately asked President Donald Trump to commute her sentence.
Epstein himself died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges — a death that only deepened public suspicion and outrage. The disgraced financier had cultivated relationships with powerful figures across politics, business, and royalty, including Trump, former President Bill Clinton, and Britain’s Prince Andrew.
Now, from behind prison walls, Maxwell is positioning herself not just as a convicted trafficker — but as a scapegoat, insisting the full Epstein story remains buried beneath sealed settlements and unanswered questions.
