The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Ghislaine Maxwell against her sex-trafficking conviction.
Without providing an explanation, the court declined to hear the former British socialite's appeal, which means her 20-year sentence will remain in place barring a presidential pardon.
Her lawyer, David Oscar Markus, told the BBC that her team was deeply disappointed but would continue exploring legal avenues to ensure that justice is done.
Maxwell was convicted for her role in luring underage girls for her former boyfriend, the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, to exploit. Epstein died in prison in 2019.
Family members of late Epstein victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre expressed gratitude for the court's decision and are committed to ensuring Maxwell serves her full sentence.
The US Justice Department did not immediately comment.
Maxwell was found guilty in 2021 of facilitating Epstein's abuse, with accusations that she recruited and groomed girls, some as young as 14, between 1994 and 2004 before they were abused by Epstein.
Maxwell's lawyers previously contended that she should not have been tried or convicted for her involvement in the scheme.
Speculation exists regarding the potential for a presidential pardon from former President Donald Trump, but the White House has reiterated that no leniency is being given or discussed.
In the meantime, Maxwell was moved to a minimum-security prison facility in Texas, where she has continued to deny seeing any inappropriate conduct by Trump during his interactions with Epstein. The family of Giuffre has raised concerns regarding her current incarceration conditions and advocates for a transfer to a more secure facility.
