by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, April 4 – After a circus-like civil case involving Guo Wengui in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, which Inner City Press closely covered, here, March 15, 2023 saw the unsealing of a twelve-count Indictment charging
HO WAN KWOK, a/k/a “Miles Guo,” a/k/a “Miles Kwok,” a/k/a “Guo Wengui,” a/k/a “Brother Seven,” a/k/a “The Principal,” and KIN MING JE, a/k/a “William Je,” with various wire fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering charges. JE, who is KWOK’s financier, is also charged with obstruction of justice.
The prosecutors said that "KWOK was arrested this morning in New York, New York, and will be presented this afternoon. JE is currently at large."
Not mentioned was another, related arrest on March 15, of Guo's chief of staff Yangping Wang, aka Yvette Wang. Inner City Press, lone media in the Magistrates Court, live tweeted her presentment when the prosecutors, seemingly hoping to flip her as a cooperator, offered release on $5 million bond, but only with two co-signers they approve.
The complaint, signed under seal on March 10, remained under seal during the proceeding. Now it's on Patreon here. She will remain detained for now. Vlog here. Thread here.
Minutes later, in a larger courtroom, Guo / Kwok was presented - with a Federal Defender for the day - and detained on consent. Inner City Press live tweeted, thread here
On March 28, Guo's lawyer wrote in asking for a hearing on his motion to end detention; the hearing was set for April 4.
Inner City Press was there, and live tweeted, more with analysis on Substack here, vlog here, thread here:
OK- at bail hearing in US v Miles Guo Wengui /Kwok and Yvette Wang: both are here, Both plead not guilty.
Judge Torres turns to Guo's bail application, "which the government opposes."
Guo is in beige prison garb of MDC Brooklyn. Wang is in light blue.
Assistant US Attorney: This is a billion dollar fraud case. Pre Trial Services recommends detention. There is a risk of flight. He has at least 3 and as many as 11 passports...
AUSA: The defendant has a son in the UK. [Guo's lawyers pass notes]. He fled China in 2015, but still traveled internationally. He had $394,000 cash in his safe in NJ. And access to $34 million. We've traced it to Switzerland, the UAE, even Kazakhstan.
AUSA: He has a UAE passport. They do not extradite citizens.
AUSA: He has threatened victims, whose families are still in China...He doesn't follow court orders. In February 2023 he offered investors a stake in GETTR, with the funds to go over to the UAE.
Note: Nearly everything the Assistant US Attorney is saying about Miles Guo Wengui, to detain him, they could say about Sam Bankman-Fried. But they don't.
Guo's lawyer: He renounced his UAE citizenship. And the US has his Hong Kong passport. He did not flee.
Guo's lawyer: The FBI raided him before, but he hid nothing except a phone under his mattress. There's a trial in DC for illegally lobbying to get Guo extradited to China. [US v Pras Michel, which Inner City Press is also covering]
Guo's lawyer: China's online progapanga focuses on Mr Kwok. Judge Torres: Does he have any valid passports? Guo's lawyer: Only the Hong Kong passport. China has a red notice out against him.
Guo's lawyer: He could apply for asylum under the anti-torture statutes. Meanwhile the UAE extradites to China, its number one investor.
Guo's lawyer: The Faraday bags and the cell phone scrambler, his security consultants recommended them. China uses US courts against its enemies.
Guo's lawyer: He was mistranslated, that's why family calls got in as legal calls. It won't happen again. We offer armed security [CCP briber of the UN Ng Lap Seng got such guards accepted]
Judge Torres: He wrote to the UAE? Guo's lawyer: Yes. I have it right here... Judge Torres: Is it certified? You are relying on the word of your client. Guo's lawyer: His immigration counsel.
AUSA: He could flee inside the US
AUSA: Where would the $5 million come from. In the armed security case approved by Judge Broderick [Ng Lap Seng] the guards ate with Ng. [Also allowed "semi-private" massages].
Judge Torres: I will issue a written decision. Adjourned.
More with analysis on Substack here
Back on March 31, Guo put in his written argument, pointing out the bail of Sam Bankman-Fried (with DOJ consent) and Bernie Madoff. Page two has Holmes of Theranos, Enron's Skilling, WorldCom's Ebbers, even the Wolf of Wall Street, Belfort of Stratton Oakmont - ironic in that Pras Michel on trial in DC is calling Wolf of Street Street star Leonardo DiCaprio as a witness. He also filed a memo about the MDC jail having illegal cell phones - and weapons, on Patreon here.
The case is US v. Kwok, et al., 23-cr-118 (Torres / Parker)
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