Center for Investigative Reporting v. Federal Bureau of Prisons

Case Number: 26-cv-104

Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Client: Center for Investigative Reporting

Background: In June 2022, Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein to recruit and groom girls that the disgraced financier abused. Three years later, after Maxwell and her attorneys met with high-ranking Justice Department officials, she was transferred to a less-restrictive prison. Government officials did not explain the reason for Maxwell’s transfer. 

In October 2025, the Center for Investigative Reporting submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Federal Bureau of Prisons seeking access to all records related to Maxwell’s transfer, including emails, memoranda, and transfer orders. More than a month later, the government estimated that it would take “up to 9 months” to process the news outlet’s request. The Center for Investigative Reporting has since received no further communications from the government.

On behalf of the Center for Investigative Reporting, attorneys from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press filed this lawsuit alleging that the Bureau of Prisons violated FOIA by failing to comply with statutory deadlines and unlawfully withholding agency records.

Quote: “At a time when public trust in institutions is fragile, FOIA remains essential,” said Victoria Baranetsky, general counsel at the Center for Investigative Reporting. “Our lawsuit seeks to enforce the public’s right to know and to ensure that the government lives up to its obligation of transparency.”

Filings:

2026-01-14: Complaint