by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, June 20 – Amid the US v. Miles Guo trial, prosecutors from the Southern District of New York on June 3 announced they are charging "WEIDONG GUAN, a/k/a 'Bill Guan,' the Chief Financial Officer of a multinational media company headquartered in New York City with participating in a transnational scheme to launder at least approximately $67 million of illegally obtained funds to benefit himself and the media company. GUAN was arrested yesterday morning and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron."
The media company is Epoch Times. And before Judge Aaron in the SDNY Magistrates Court, which Inner City Press closely covers, unlike in the Guo and Wang case, a bail deal was reached, $3,000,000 personal recognizance bond
Inner City Press went to cover the conference on June 21. The prosecutors told Judge Marrero they seized 50 devices and are imaging them. The Federal Defender said "Mr. Guan may be retaining counsel." So Judge Marrero set the next conference for September 20.
Then the prosecutors asked for a trial date, which was put back to March 2025.
On September 13, Guan's lawyer wrote in citing 900 GB of discovery, asking to postpone September 20 to December 6.
On November 15, Inner City Press heard of an extradition in from South Korea, of Le Van Hung. A Vietnamese interpreter was found; Inner City Press was the only media - the only civilian - in the courtroom for the presentation. Thread:
Defendant is brought out, slight build, intepretation headphones.
All rise! Judge Ona T. Wang: Date of arrest? AUSA Dell: He was extradicted in frim South Korea this morning. Judge: How do you plead? Defendant: Not guilty. AUSA: We seek detention; they consent without prejudice.
Judge: Time excluded to next conference.
On December 6, Judge Marrero set trial for both for October 2025: ":Status Conference as to Weidong Guan, Le Van Hung held on 12/6/2024. Mandarin interpreter present. Vietnamese interpreter present. The parties discussed discovery progress. The Court adjourned the trial date for both Defendants to October 6, 2025 to October 31, 2025."
But then Hung asked for delay to late February 2026. The AUSA said her Office does not oppose, but she'd need to May 2026 - and that MDC may inspect legal mail for contraband but will not read it.
On May 29 Guan wrote in that he will not agree to any later than February 20, 2026 for trial.
On June 20 Inner City Press attended the conference at which Judge Marrero pushed the trial to February 2, 2025. The AUSA said Guan's co-defendant is in plea discussions and that October 2025 might still be posssible. Guan's counsel said he wanted certained. So February 2, 2026 it is.
Inner City Press will stay on it.
The case is US v. Guan, 24-cr-322 (Marrero / Aaron)
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