Judge again denies bail for Ghislaine Maxwell, citing flight risk

A federal judge on Monday denied Ghislaine Maxwell’s renewed request to be released on bail, saying the former Jeffrey Epstein associate accused of being an accomplice in his sex trafficking operation poses a flight risk.

U.S. District Court Judge Alison Nathan had ruled in July against Maxwell’s request to be released on a $5 million bond while awaiting trial.

On Monday, Nathan wrote in a brief ruling that she still believed Maxwell to be a flight risk.

“The Court concludes that none of the new information that the Defendant presented in support of her application has a material bearing on the Court’s determination that she poses a flight risk,” Nathan wrote. “Furthermore, for substantially the same reasons as the Court determined that detention was warranted in the initial bail hearing, the Court again concludes that no conditions of release can reasonably assure the Defendant’s appearance at future proceedings.”

A lawyer for Maxwell did not immediately respond when asked for comment.

Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and perjury charges after prosecutors accused her of aiding Epstein’s operation to recruit underaged girls for sex.

Earlier this month, her lawyers filed a renewed request to be released on bonds totaling $28.5 million and to be restricted to home confinement.

Federal prosecutors opposed the request, arguing that Maxwell posed a significant flight risk due to her citizenship in three countries and significant wealth.

“The defendant’s history and characteristics include significant foreign ties, millions of dollars in cash that she largely transferred to her spouse in the last five years, among other assets, and a demonstrated willingness and sophisticated ability to live in hiding,” prosecutors wrote in a court filing earlier this month.