Obama judge denies release of Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury transcripts

A federal judge on today denied the Department of Justice’s request to unseal grand jury materials in Ghislaine Maxwell’s criminal case.

In his 31-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, a 2011 Barack Obama appointee, says that the grand jury materials do not identify anyone other than Epstein or Maxwell as having had sexual contact with a minor.

Engelmayer said that there were no special circumstances to justify releasing the transcripts in Maxwell's case.

"Its entire premise – that the Maxwell grand jury materials would bring to light meaningful new information about Epstein's and Maxwell's crimes, or the government's investigation into them – is demonstrably false," Engelmayer wrote.

The judge said the materials provide no new insight into Epstein or Maxwell clients, nor new information about the venue, new sources of their wealth or the circumstances of Epstein's death.

"There is no 'there' there," the judge said.

Epstein died in a federal lockup in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. His death, which authorities have repeatedly said was a suicide, has fueled conspiracy theories about Epstein's abuse of underage girls and the actions of his associates.