A federal judge has rejected the Trump administration’s request to unseal grand jury materials from Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex-trafficking case on Monday, assailing the plea as a “distraction.”

The Justice Department (DOJ) had sought to release testimony and exhibits from the case against Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplice, who was convicted of sex trafficking in 2021 and is serving 20 years in prison, citing “abundant public interest.” Except in rare circumstances, grand jury testimony is usually kept under seal to protect witnesses and the independence of the grand jury.

In denying the motion, District Judge Paul Engelmayer rejected the DOJ’s argument that unsealing the testimony would provide new information.

“Its entire premise—that the Maxwell grand jury materials would bring to light mea

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