A federal judge in New York has mandated the unsealing of grand jury materials associated with the prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in recruiting and grooming underage girls for sexual abuse by Jeffrey Epstein. Judge Paul Engelmayer's ruling in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan was prompted by a request from the Department of Justice, which referenced the recently enacted Epstein Files Transparency Act. This legislation requires the disclosure of investigative files related to Epstein, although it does not specifically mention grand jury materials. Nonetheless, Judge Engelmayer concluded that the Act encompasses these materials.

In a related development, a federal judge in Florida has also granted the Justice Department's request to unseal grand jury transcripts associated with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. This decision aligns with the Epstein Files Transparency Act of 2025, signed into law by President Donald Trump on November 19, 2022, which mandates that the Attorney General must publicly disclose all unclassified Department of Justice records related to Epstein and Maxwell.

Judge Rodney Smith determined that the new transparency law supersedes the existing secrecy requirements of federal grand jury rules. While this ruling does not immediately release the records, it represents a significant advancement in the push for transparency regarding the high-profile cases of Epstein and Maxwell, who were indicted on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls. The Department of Justice is tasked with deciding the timing and manner of the material's release, with a requirement to publish it within 30 days.

Previous attempts to unseal records in both Florida and New York had been denied by federal judges, who cited grand jury rules and indicated that the contents likely contained no new evidence. However, the recent passage of the transparency law has altered the legal landscape, allowing for this new ruling. The transcripts and other grand jury materials are part of a broader collection of files related to the cases against Epstein and Maxwell, which have raised significant public interest and concern regarding issues of abuse and exploitation. It is important to note that the material may be one-sided and could lack context or accuracy, as it was primarily used by prosecutors to establish initial charges against the defendants.