Sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell will appeal her conviction this week — having secured a million-dollar divorce settlement.
Her challenge is expected now that papers have been filed with a US judge to finalize her split from husband Scott Borgerson.
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But under the terms of the settlement, Maxwell will only receive a small portion of her fortune, estimated at £25 million.
A source said: “Ghislaine has been waiting a long time for her appeal and believes she has a technically strong case.
“However, even if her appeal is successful, she would not have enough cash to fund a retrial.”
Maxwell, 60, transferred her wealth and portfolio to a fund controlled by her tech entrepreneur husband while on the run.
But when their marriage broke down, Mr Borgerson, whom she married in 2016, refused to release money to pay for her appeal or her legal bills.
A source said: “The divorce papers have been filed but it comes at a price.
“Ghislaine lived a life of unimaginable luxury with private jets and luxury yachts.
“But now, between her legal bills and the divorce, she’s broke.”
Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison last June after pleading guilty to supplying teenage girls for her sex offender ex-lover Jeffrey Epstein.
Last year, Prince Andrew – once a close friend of Maxwell’s – agreed to pay Virginia Giuffre £12m to settle a sexual assault case she brought against him.
Ms Giuffre claimed the prince had sex with her three times when she was 17, a claim she has repeatedly denied.
The court heard that a girl, who was just 16 at the time, was given a nude massage by Maxwell.
Maxwell hired attorney Arthur Aidala, who represented disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Maxwell’s 30-page, 22,000-word appeal must be filed by Tuesday.
Her legal team will focus on technical claims that the judge in her case did not correctly apply the law.
