Ghislaine Maxwell 'secrets' to be revealed after judge rules to unseal tranche of documents

Details of Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex life and other potentially damaging revelations are set to be made public in the coming days, after a judge ruled to unseal documents in a civil case filed by one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims.

Ms Maxwell’s lawyers had previously claimed that "extremely personal" information contained in the 80 documents, which runs to hundreds of pages, would cause “embarrassment” as they fought to keep them secret.

It is expected that the files will expose fresh details about Ms Maxwell's sex life as well as her relation to powerful figures accused of taking part in the abuse of the late financier's victims.

The documents were part of Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre's defamation lawsuit against Ms Maxwell, 58, which was brought in 2015 and confidentially settled in 2017.

Among the records due to be released is thought to be a 418-page transcript of Ms Maxwell's deposition - her only on-the-record account of her association with Epstein - which attorneys argue was given under an expectation of confidentiality that had been agreed to by both sides in the dispute.

Ms Maxwell's lawyers had said she was asked unduly "intrusive" questions about her sex life, which was not in the public interest.

The documents also include police reports from Palm Beach, Florida, where Epstein had a home, and flight logs from his private jets.

Papers relating to two unnamed men, identified in court documents only as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2, are also to be revealed. The judge noted that neither had objected.

Limited excerpts of the depositions were released last year, in a ruling that came a day before Epstein was found dead in his New York prison cell in August.

Included in that collection were excerpts from depositions naming several prominent men she alleges Epstein and Ms Maxwell directed her to have sex with, including Prince Andrew.

Lawyers for Ms Maxwell had argued against further disclosure, claiming: “The subject matter of these is extremely personal, confidential and subject to considerable abuse by the media. Courts must exercise their supervisory power over their own records and files to ensure they are not used to gratify private spite or promote public scandal."

The case is separate to a criminal case against Ms Maxwell, where she stands accused by federal prosecutors of procuring girls as young as 14 for Epstein to abuse. She has pleaded not guilty.

US District Judge Loretta Preska in Manhattan on Thursday said the presumption the public has a right to access the records outweighed Ms Maxwell's arguments for keeping them sealed, including that they could prove embarrassing.

Ms Preska said, however, that personal identifying information contained in the record, as well as the names of many "non-parties," will be redacted.

She granted Lauren Menninger, Ms Maxwell’s lawyer, one week to file an emergency motion with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to challenge the decision.

The lawsuit to release the documents was originally filed by the Miami Herald reporter Julie Brown.

In another blow to the socialite, earlier in the day she lost a motion in her criminal case to ban the government or lawyers for women who claim abuse from making public comments on the case.

US District Judge Alison Nathan said in a written order that she expects anyone involved in the case against Ms Maxwell will exercise "great care" to comply with rules designed to ensure a fair trial, but she added that no further action was needed now to ensure compliance.