By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
BBC - Honduras - CIA Trial Book - NY Mag
ESDNY COURTHOUSE, August 24 – There was a tax evasion prosecution case against Herman Segal heard on August 19 and Inner City Press covered it - then a civil case on August 24.
On August 19, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York Chief Judge Margo K. Brodie was presiding. In this case, brought under then Acting US Attorney Seth D. DuCharme, Segal was indicted for hiding some $600,000 from the sale of 432 West 163 Street in Manhattan.
But it is not Herman Segal's only case.
From the New York State system: "On April 6, 1987, the defendant's brother was murdered. At the time of his death, the deceased was involved in divorce proceedings with his wife and this caused some acrimony between the deceased's family and his wife's family. The two leading suspects in the murder of the defendant's brother were the father and brother-in-law of the wife of the defendant's brother, but there was not enough evidence to justify their arrests. Frustrated with the failure of the authorities to effect an arrest for the murder of his brother, the defendant in April 1988 conspired with his own brother-in-law, David Simon, to murder the father of the deceased's wife. Later, in June 1988 the defendant and Simon added the brother-in-law of the deceased's wife to the list of potential victims, agreeing that "if they [the victims] could both be taken down together then that would be good." The most damning piece of evidence against the defendant was a tape-recorded conversation between him and Simon, who had previously been arrested and had agreed to wear a recording device. That conversation revealed the details of the plans which involved hiring two hitmen engaged by Simon. (The hitmen were, in fact, two undercover police officers.)" See, PEOPLE v. HERMAN SEGAL 570 N.Y.S.2d 163 (1991).
Segal, then a lawyer, was subsequently disbarred: "Matter of Segal Opinion June 4, 1990. On December 1, 1989, the respondent was convicted in the Supreme Court, Kings County, upon a jury verdict, of conspiracy in the second degree (two counts) in violation of Penal Law § 105.15, a class B felony. Pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90 (4), the respondent ceased to be an attorney and counselor-at-law upon his conviction of a felony. Accordingly, the petitioner's motion is granted. The respondent is disbarred, and his name is stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law, effective immediately."
On August 19, the EDNY Assistant US Attorney said they are nearing a disposition without trial, and also cited Segal's health without further detail.
To give time for the plea or other disposition talks, Chief Judge Brodie set the matter over for October 7 at 11:30 am, with Speedy Trial Act time excluded.
On August 24 in the Southern District of New York where it is based, Inner City Press covered a civil case between insurance company at which Segal, and this EDNY case, came up.
United States Life Insurance Company says that in January 12, 2006, Herman Segal applied for insurance on the life of his mother, Lilly Segal. Later he changed her name to Sprinta Berger, and changed her Social Security number. She was dead.
On August 24, Judge Edgardo Ramos asked about the EDNY criminal case but neither side knew the status. Inner City Press did, see above. But perhaps the cases will synch up. An SDNY case management conference is set for February 24, 2023 at 10 am.
The EDNY case is US v. Segal, 20-cr-00551(MKB)(CLP)
The SDNY case is United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York v. Wilmington Trust, N.A., 22-cv-902 (Ramos)
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