What is document EFTA00028771?

This is an internal email from the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York to Judge Alison Nathan's chambers, sent on July 2, 2020, the day of Ghislaine Maxwell's arrest. It formally notifies the court that Maxwell's criminal case (20 Cr. 330) has been assigned to Judge Nathan and provides initial case details.

Who is mentioned in this document?

The document mentions Ghislaine Maxwell as the defendant, Judge Alison J. Nathan as the presiding judge, and references multiple Assistant US Attorneys from the Southern District of New York who would prosecute the case. It also references New Hampshire, where Maxwell was arrested.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals the prosecution's aggressive posture from day one - they immediately indicated plans to seek Maxwell's detention and stated they would appeal to Judge Nathan if a New Hampshire magistrate denied their detention request. This foreshadowed the hard-fought legal battle that resulted in Maxwell being held without bail throughout her trial.

What happened to Ghislaine Maxwell after this arrest?

Maxwell was denied bail and remained in federal custody. Her trial began November 29, 2021 before Judge Nathan and concluded December 29, 2021 with her conviction on five of six counts, including sex trafficking of a minor. She was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

Why is this document significant?

This email captures the opening moment of the federal criminal case against Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent alleged accomplice. It shows the machinery of justice beginning to move within hours of Maxwell's arrest, with prosecutors already strategizing about detention and setting up the case that would ultimately result in her conviction and lengthy prison sentence.

What is document EFTA00028771?

This is an internal email from the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York to Judge Alison Nathan's chambers, sent on July 2, 2020, the day of Ghislaine Maxwell's arrest. It formally notifies the court that Maxwell's criminal case (20 Cr. 330) has been assigned to Judge Nathan and provides initial case details.

Who is mentioned in this document?

The document mentions Ghislaine Maxwell as the defendant, Judge Alison J. Nathan as the presiding judge, and references multiple Assistant US Attorneys from the Southern District of New York who would prosecute the case. It also references New Hampshire, where Maxwell was arrested.

What does this document reveal?

The document reveals the prosecution's aggressive posture from day one - they immediately indicated plans to seek Maxwell's detention and stated they would appeal to Judge Nathan if a New Hampshire magistrate denied their detention request. This foreshadowed the hard-fought legal battle that resulted in Maxwell being held without bail throughout her trial.

What happened to Ghislaine Maxwell after this arrest?

Maxwell was denied bail and remained in federal custody. Her trial began November 29, 2021 before Judge Nathan and concluded December 29, 2021 with her conviction on five of six counts, including sex trafficking of a minor. She was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

Why is this document significant?

This email captures the opening moment of the federal criminal case against Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent alleged accomplice. It shows the machinery of justice beginning to move within hours of Maxwell's arrest, with prosecutors already strategizing about detention and setting up the case that would ultimately result in her conviction and lengthy prison sentence.

EFTA00028771

Internal DOJ email from July 2, 2020, notifying Judge Alison Nathan's chambers of Ghislaine Maxwell's arrest that morning and the assignment of her federal criminal case.

This is a high-value internal government document capturing the immediate aftermath of Ghislaine Maxwell's arrest by the FBI. Written by an Assistant US Attorney from the Southern District of New York, the email informs Judge Nathan's chambers that the case (20 Cr. 330) has been assigned to her, that Maxwell was arrested at approximately 8:30am in New Hampshire, and that prosecutors intend to seek her detention. The document represents the first formal court communication in what would become one of the most closely watched sex trafficking trials in recent history.

Key Highlights

•Documents the exact moment Maxwell's criminal case was assigned to federal court - July 2, 2020 at 8:30am
•Shows prosecutors immediately signaled they would seek detention and appeal any release
•Reveals the case was 'wheeled out' (randomly assigned) to Judge Alison Nathan, who would preside over Maxwell's eventual trial and conviction
•Demonstrates the urgency of the prosecution - AUSAs provided personal phone numbers and requested an immediate conference date

Frequently Asked Questions

Books for Further Reading

The Spider: Inside the Tangled Web of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell

Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

Julie K. Brown

Investigative journalism that broke the Epstein case open

Filthy Rich: The Jeffrey Epstein Story

James Patterson

Bestselling account of Epstein's crimes and network

Document Information

Bates Range

EFTA00028771

Pages

Document Content

Page 1 - EFTA00028771

From: ' To: Nathan NYSD Chambers <I Cc: " Subject: United States v. Ghislaine Maxwell, 20 Cr. 330 (AJN) Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2020 14:25:39 +0000 Attachments: Maxwellindictment,_20_Cr._330_(AJN).pdf Good morning, The above-captioned case was wheeled out to Judge Nathan this morning. Attached please find the indictment. The defendant was arrested at approximately 8:30am in New Hampshire, and the Government expects that she will be presented before a Untied States Magistrate Judge in the District of New Hampshire this afternoon. The Government intends to seek the defendant's detention, and if that application is denied in New Hampshire, the Government expects to seek an appeal of that determination before Judge Nathan. The AUSAs on this case are cc'd on this email, and I have listed our respective phone numbers below: We would be very grateful if the Court would be able to set an initial conference date that the Government can convey at this afternoon's presentment. We can be reached at any time should the Court have any questions. Respectfully, Assistant United States Attorney Southern District of New York 1 St. Andrew's Plaza New York, NY 10007 EFTA00028771