Fact Focus: Misinformation persists after Maxwell trial ends

At one point, posts falsely claimed the judge placed a media 'gag order' on the case and banned the press from attending. — Reuters

The sex-trafficking trial of Jeffrey Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, ended with a guilty verdict, but that hasn't stopped the flow of false news that has swirled around the case.

On Thursday, posts emerged falsely claiming that trial documents were sealed to protect Epstein – who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex crimes – and his influential friends. At the same time, previously debunked claims reemerged on social media, including assertions that there was no media coverage of the high-profile trial.