by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 24 – British billionaire Joseph Lewis, owner of the Tottenham Football Club, Tavistock, jets and yacht, was indicted and released on bail on securities fraud charges on July 26, 2023. Inner City Press was there and live tweeted, thread here.
On August 28, the assigned District Judge issued this: "counsel for Defendants Patrick OConnor and Bryan Marty Waugh alerted the Court to benefactor payments that could give rise to potential conflicts of interest. To that end, by September 6, 2023, counsel for Defendants OConnor and Waugh shall submit a joint letter further describing the payment arrangements at issue here (Signed by Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke on 8/28/2023)."
On September 6 counsel to Marty Waugh wrote in to say that yes, Lewis' Tavistock is paying them - but they promise to exercise independent professional judgment...
On January 24, 2024 Lewis pled guilty - with a deal that he will only not appeal if he gets no jail time. While the calculated guidelines in the plea agreement say 18 to 24 months, Lewis can appeal even a day of jail. We hope to have more on this. Afterward he left the SDNY courthouse covering his face, with a guard blocking photos. Thread:
Judge: How old are you? Lewis: 86. Judge: Any mental illness? Lewis: No. Judge: Do you know the consequences of pleading guilty? Lewis: Yes.
Judge: You are charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud in count 2, and substantive securities fraud in counts 7 and 10, do you understand? Lewis: Yes.
Judge: The maximum penalties are 45 years in prison if consecutive. The is no parole in the federal system in this country. I can order restitution... You may be deported. The plea agreement has a sentencing guideline...
Lewis' lawyer: He is only agreeing to not appeal if he receives no incarceration. Lewis: In 2019 I passed material non public information to 3 people to trade.
Judge: Sentencing [no jail time in plea deal] set for March 28 at 3 pm, expedited at defendant's request
The case is US v. Lewis, et al., 23-cr-370 (Clarke)
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