A federal judge has denied the Justice Department’s motion to unseal grand jury materials related to the sex trafficking cases against deceased trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime lover and convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. Judge Paul Engelmayer, in a comprehensive 31-page decision, rejected the government’s request, asserting that the documents do not contain significant, undisclosed information about their crimes or the investigation into them.
In his ruling, Engelmayer outlined two key points justifying his decision. First, the grand juries in these cases were not used for investigative purposes. They did not hear testimony from any firsthand witness, victim, eyewitness, suspect, or records custodian. Instead, the grand juries met for the quotidian purpose of returning an indictment. The only witnesses were members of law enforcement, and each grand jury heard evidence only for one day. Second, the evidence provided to the grand juries is largely public record. The government admitted this, noting that the materials do not identify any individuals other than Epstein and Maxwell as having had sexual contact with a minor. They also do not discuss any clients of Epstein’s or Maxwell’s, nor do they reveal any unknown methods or means of their crimes.
Beyond the grand jury transcripts, the DOJ also sought to unseal additional evidence presented as exhibits to the grand jurors. These exhibits were expected to include more names than have been publicly linked to Maxwell in criminal and civil court proceedings. However, Engelmayer denied the government’s request for these exhibits as well. He argued that releasing them would not provide any new information, as a public familiar with the Maxwell trial record would learn next to nothing from the materials. The exhibits cannot be released without court permission, but prosecutors requested their unsealing due to intense public interest.
The case has drawn significant attention and public scrutiny. Ghislaine Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted at trial in 2021 of helping Epstein traffic teen girls. She is appealing her conviction and has indicated willingness to sit for interviews with Congress and the Justice Department. Epstein, who died in a federal jail cell in 2019 before facing trial, was officially ruled to have died by suicide, though his brother disputes this. The ongoing legal and public interest in these cases continues to generate widespread debate and attention, highlighting the complex intersections of criminal justice, public accountability, and media scrutiny.