OneCoin Greenwood Cited Mafia Case to Keep Letters Sealed, Approved After No DOJ Position

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Podcast Filing

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 7 -- For money laundering for scam crypto currency OneCoin, lawyer Mark Scott was convicted by a jury after testimony by Konstantin Ignatov and others but was allowed to remain free on bail pending sentencing.

On April 11, 2023, Judge Ramos heard argument on, then denied, Sebastian Greenwood's argument that non-US losses should be excluded from his sentencing. Inner City Press was there and exclusively live tweeted, here (vlog here)

On May 10, 2023, Greenwood's counsel wrote in, asking for sentencing after Labor Day - letter on Patreon here.

On May 15, Greenwood got the extension, to September 12.

On August 29, Greenwood's new lawyers from Patterson Belknap (and two already on the case counsel) filed a 55-page sentencing submission, redacting even the name of a case they cited and withholding an undisclosed number of exhibits. (They left in Greenwood's "MDC Transcript," now on Patreon here). They ask for time served. They quote "Karl's former driver in Thailand" - but redact the quote, and withhold the entire affidavit. This is unacceptable --

so Inner City Press filed to unseal. Judge Ramos  docketed it on August 30, and asked for response by September 6. That afternoon, Greenwood's counsel wrote in but did no provide a single unsealed document. Response here.

Inner City Press immediately replied, noting that
"[t]he Response provides not a single additional document but rather cites a single (Mafia) case from the White Plains courthouse.    Notably in that case the US Attorney's Office supported sealing to avoid "violent retribution by a criminal organization" which "expressly disavows cooperation with law enforcement and demands violent retaliation against informants." US v. Pasqua, 16-cr-591 (NSR) Dkt  41 at 13, 3. 

  It is not clear which analogy Greenwood's counsel seeks to make: that OneCoin and his co-founder are linked with organized crime, or that victims of OneCoin's fraud should not know who is supporting a time served sentence for Greenwood. The latter should be rejected, and Greenwood has not assisted the prosecution or victims.     So the analogy and ostensible precedent should be rejected, and the submissions unsealed." Reply here.

After that, the US Attorney's Office filed a letter that it "takes no position" on the sealing - and, apparently, on the analogy of OneCoin victims to the Mob. And on September 7, the sealing of all of Greenwood's letters of support was approved. Watch this site.

Watch this site.

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UN Guterres Flies & Lies With China's Li about Reform while Banning Press from Dying UNGA

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Sept 7 – The annual ritual of the UN General Assembly week is getting more and more wan under Antonio Guterres.

  This as he this week spends public money flying and lying from Kenya to Indonesia to Cuba. In Stop 2, Jakarta, on September 7 this telling read-out: Guterres "met with H.E. Mr. Li Qiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China. The Secretary-General thanked Premier Li for China’s steadfast contribution to the United Nations and its activities" - and to himself.   "The Secretary-General expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation with China in all the pillars of United Nations activity" - this from a man called racist by his staff, and who has colluded with and use dictators across the Continent, from Paul Biya in Cameroon to Bongo in Gabo.

In 2023 not only Xi of China and Russia's Putin for obvious reasons isn't coming - even French president Macron, and the UK's not-for-long prime minister are blowing it off.

That's four out of the five Permanent Members of the Security Council, those who on paper benefit most from the decaying UN, not bother to come. Guterres is lying about reform, including of the "international financial architecture."

Only Biden is coming - and the US is the country watching as Guterres hands post after post to China, while concealing his financial links to its convicted bribery firm CEFC China Energy, and banning Inner City Press which uncovered and asked about it. 

 The schedule released on September 1 still listed the "head of state" of Gabon, Ali Bongo, who pleading for (and receiving Guterres' useless) support to keep his family in power for another year after fifty.

Inner City Press on June 19 applied to Guterres' censoring sidekick Melissa Fleming for access to UNGA week, which she gives to countless blood-splattered state media of Saudi Arabia, Iran and even Cameroon.

No answers, even as the supposed September 1 deadline passed. The UN's time has passed. Watch this site.

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Tornado Cash Roman Storm Free on $2M Bond Charged With Helping NoKo Hackers Lazarus

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 6 – Roman Storm is charged using his cryptocurrency mixed Tornado Cash to help launder money for North Korea's hackers in the Lazarus Group.

On September 6, 2023 he was arraigned before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Katherine Polk Failla. Inner City Press was there - thread:

All rise!

Appearances: AUSA Rehn [also on #SBF case] 

For Mr Storm, Brian Klein [who repped Virgil Griffith who got 63 months]

 Judge Failla: Defendant was presented in Washington, but not yet arraigned. Have you seen the indictment?  Klein: Yes. 

Judge: How do you plead? 

Storm: Not guilty. 

AUSA: Defendant with Tornado Cash helped North Korea's hackers Lazarus Group...There will be discovery from GitHub 

Judge: Will you image thr devices? 

AUSA: Some are encrypted. We have material from Dutch authorities, in Russian, from CC-1. Multiple terabytes.   Judge: What about the co-defendant? AUSA: He's a fugitive overseas. Judge: Victims? AUSA: Yes, of the hacks

AUSA: There are some classified materials... Judge: So ex parte CIPA conference? AUSA: Within 30 days. Storm's Klein: We think the US got it wrong. We'll talk about motions later.

Judge: November 30 [at 3:30 pm - Judge Failla will be presiding over a trial, ending at 3]  

AUSA: We have agreed on release on $2 million bond, secured by his residence in Washington [state], with 1 co-signer by Sept 15. We seized his Russian passport... Travel restricted to the Districts of SDNY, EDNY, NJ, Western District of Washington and Central CA

Klein: There may be a legal defense fund in this case... so contact with Marina Evteshina AUSA: No objection 

Address in Auburn WA is stated; Inner City Press voluntarily not reporting it. Adjourned.

The case is US v. Storm, et al., 23-cr-430 (Failla)

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To Control Access to UN Seats China Russia Tonga Andorra & US Selected But Press Banned

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Sept 5 – As the new UN General Assembly session in the decaying UN began on September 5, the Credentials Committee which will rule on who is legitimately in their country's seat was set up - and it's a laugher.

By Twitter or X handle: @ANDORRA_UN   @Chinamission2un   @GrenadaUN   @NigeriaUN   @RussiaUN  #SolomonIslands  @JaneWaetara   @SurinameUN   @SitaldinSunil   @TongaMissionUN   @USUN   

 That is, China, Russia, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Andorra, Suriname, and last but not least (nor first) the US. What is the logic? 

 Meanwhile, Inner City Press which closely covers the UN is still banned; its June 19 application to Melissa Fleming's MALU has not even been responded to, nor has a letter from a pro bono law firm, after Inner City Press questioned the veracity of SG Antonio Guterres' financial disclosures.  

Today's UN is corrupt - but we will push for fair treatment, freedom of the press (including access to UNGA week), and transparency. Watch this site. 

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Following Celsius Mashinsky Arrest Bail Terms Modified Now Restraining Order Unsealed Here

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 5– After Alexander Mashinsky of Celsius was arrested on July 13, US Attorney Damian Williams held a press conference.

Inner City Press asked him to explain his office's thinking in agreeing to release on bail for Sam Bankman-Fried and Shakeeb Ahmed, for example, but demanding and obtaining the ongoing pre-trial detention of Avi Eisenberg and Miles Guo.  

 US Attorney Williams responded that every case is different. Inner City Press asked if his office would in the afternoon be seeking the detention of, or agreeing to release, Mashinsky. He declined to say either way, saying you will soon see.

(Inner City Press ran to the Magistrates Court, but found the Assistant US Attorney there agreeing to release, with location monitoring, Charlie Javice's Frank co-defendant Olivier Amar).

At 2:45 pm the arraignment began, followed the the SDNY AUSAs' deal that Mashinsky would be released right after on bond. Inner City Press was there, thread.

Next was July 25 at 11 am. Inner City Press was there, thread.

More on Substack here

On September 5, the post-indictment restraining order was unsealed, showing the US targeting accounts in Goldman Sachs, SoFi Bank, First Republic - and a property 2004 East 8th Street in Austin held with Kristine Meehan Mashinsky. 5 page document on Patreon here. For now the application and affidavit are sealed.

   From the SDNY press release on the indictment " COHEN-PAVON, an Israeli citizen and resident, is currently abroad." 

 This hung over the Olivier Aran Magistrates Court proceeding, the Mashinsky up in the afternoon.

  The case is US v. Mashinsky, et al., 23-cr-347 (Koeltl / Wang)  Indictment on Patreon here

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Bankman-Fried Exempt from Prisoner Count as Heads to SDNY for Internet Use on Sept 6

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 5–  Sam Bankman-Fried of FTX on August 11, 2023 for tampering with witnesses in the upcoming trial against him was ordered remained to jail.

 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Lewis A. Kaplan heard from prosecutors that in Putnam County Correctional Facility, SBF could be given access to discovery material over the Internet.

Kaplan replied that he assumed the defendant would be in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, like fellow crypto-fraud defendant Miles Guo and others.

  On August 12 Inner City Press, which published the first book about SBF's remand ("Crypto Creeps," here, sample on Substack here) found the Bureau of Prisons notice, listing SBF in the MDC.

On August 14, the DOJ prosecutors docketed their superseding indictment against SBF, with Count 8, Campaign Finance, dropped ostensibly at the request of the Bahamas. Inner City Press immediately published the superseding indictment on its DocumentCloud here.

On August 25 SBF's lawyers wrote in again, saying two days a week in the holding cell with a laptop is not enough. Full letter on Patreon here

On August 29, the US filed that "the USMS has also offered to transport the defendant two days per week to the 500 Pearl Street cellblock" - full letter on Patreon here

On September 5, DOJ wrote in to say SBF will come on Sept 6 - and that in MDC he is exempt from prisoner count - full letter on Patreon here

On August 22, SBF was arraigned by SDNY Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn. Thread

More August 22 details on Substack here

More book sample on Substack here. Extended on Patreon here.

Book here

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Man Charged with Planning al Shabaab Attack Mulls Going Pro Se, to Confer with CUNY Prof

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 5 – Cholo Abdi Abdullah is charged with planning with al Shabaab to attack the US with a commercial jet. 

 On September 5, 2023 he appeared in court saying he has lost faith in lawyers, and intially saying he now wants to represent himself. Inner City Press was there, the only media in the courtroom.

  U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Analisa Torres advised him that without a lawyer he would be at a major disadvantage.

After a break, it was agreed he said confer with CUNY law professor Ramzi Kassem, and be back in court on September 19 at 3:30 pm. There is more to be reported but for now, here, this is it.

More on Substack here

  The case is US v. Abdullah, 20-cr-677 (Torres)

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Chinese Consulate Sought Visit With Fentanyl Duo in Humbei Biotech Case Now New Counsel

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 5 – The day after fentanyl and China were denounced by all eight GOP candidates in their debate in Milwaukee, two defendants were brought shackled into a federal courtroom in New York, charged with conspiracy to important at least 200 kilograms of fentanyl precursors.  Inner City Press was there. 

  Qingzhou Wang had recently changed lawyers, from a free Federal Defender to retained counsel Daniel Arshack.

Citing the change of counsel, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Paul G. Gardephe set another court date in the future, October 24 at 10 am.

 The Assistant US Attorney described trying to brute-force crack the defendants' cell phones, two each.  

Also charged in the case is the company Humbei Amarvel Biotech Co. LTD, which is unrepresented in the docket like a Last Name Unknown co-defendant also known as Er Yang or Anita.  

 Back on June 28 , counsel to co-defendant Yiyi Chen asked Judge Gardephe, "I've spoken to representatives of the Chinese Consulate. They're here in court today. They'd like to know if they can have a brief non-contact visit with Ms. Chen and the co-defendant if it's okay with the Court and the marshals."

On September 5, now Yiyi Cheng brought in as retained counsel Shaoming Cheng (whose only SDNY case this is). We'll have more on this.

The case is US v. Humbei Amarvel Biotech Co. LTD, et al., 23-cr-302 (Gardephe)

More details on Substack here

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Insider Trader in Lumentum Bhardwaj Pled Now Kakkera Follows Suit so Sentencing Jan 3

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 5 – Three indicted insider traders were present in court on August 17, 2022; two cooperators in the case were not. Talk turned to their interviews with the FBI, and so-called "Brutonization" or perhaps even severance.

  On August 17, 2022 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Gregory H. Woods held an in-person proceeding with the three California-based defendants. Inner City Press went and covered it.

   The case centers around suspicious trading in Lumentum Holdings Inc. in connection with two separate potential acquisitions by Lumentum, Coherent, Inc. and Neophotonics Corporation. The defendants are AMIT BHARDWAJ, SRINIVASA KAKKERA, ABBAS SAEEDI. Two of them, it was said, gave statements to the FBI, copies of which they still don't have. The Bruton case was mentioned. 

 Two of the three wanted five monts to review discovery; the other suggested 90 days. Judge Woods went with the five months, until January 18, 2023 at 3 pm.  

  Meanwhile Abbas Saeedi was approved "to take  a day or two trip to Universal Studios or Disneyland," on Patreon here.

 The cooperators, mentioned at the bottom for the SDNY's press release, are Dhirenkumar Patel and Ramesh Chitor.

At least (these?) two cooperators were alluded to on March 22, 2023, when Bhardwaj pled guilty. Inner City Press was there. The plea deal is for 70 to 87 months.

On July 19, "ORDER as to Srinivasa Kakkera: Defendant's motion for a bill of particulars is GRANTED IN PART.

But on August 14, 2023, severance was deemed moot:  The Government, with agreement from counsel for Mr. Kakkera, submits that because the Government anticipates that Mr. Saeedi will enter a plea of guilty on August 18, 2023, that motion should be treated as moot. ENDORSEMENT: Application granted.

And on September 5, Inner City Press was in the courtroom when Kakkera pled guilty, to Count 7. His sentencing is set for January 3, 2024 at 10 am.

The case is US v. Bhardwaj, et al., 22-cr-398 (Woods) 

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Sam Bankman-Fried Ryan Salame Guilty Plea Blues by Matthew Russell Lee, ...

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In SDNY Neil Phillips Was Freed on $15 Million Bond Now Motion to Dismiss Denied

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book

SDNY MAG COURT EXCLUSIVE, Jan 5 -  In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on January 5, a detention or bond proceeding was held by Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn on Neil Phillips, charged with commodities fraud for manipulating the exchange rate of the South African rand and US dollar.

Inner City Press was the only media in the Mag Court, and has filed to unseal the names of the bond co-signers of Samuel Bankman-Fried in SDNY. Related Mag Court live-tweeted thread (more on Patreon here) vlog here

  The US Attorney's Office had agreed to a bond package with Phillips, as it had with Bankman-Fried. In Phillips' case it is a $15 million bond with three publicly named co-signers, two of whom are putting up $250,000 cash.

  By contrast, Sam Bankman-Fried is trying to keep his two co-signers secret - the US Attorney's Office "takes no position" - and there is no cash put up.

   The US Attorney's Office is allowing Phillips to fly back to the UK, and leave his UK passport there with Pallas Partners law firm. The co-signers are: Alan Jacobson, Anthony Robertson and Beverly Lynn Jacobson.

The case was re-assigned to Judge Lewis J. Liman who on September 1, 2023 issued an order denying Phillip's motion to dismiss - without prejudice to a Rule 29 motion. On Phillips' Constitutional challenge (lack of fair warning), Judge Liman ruled that can only be assessed with "full factual development at trial."

This case is US v. Phillips, 22-cr-138 (Liman)

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After Wikileaks Trial Schulte Got Obstruction Conviction Dropped Now Sleak Sealed Trial III

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Aug 29 – When jury selection was completed for the retrial of accused CIA Vault 7 leaker Joshua Schulte, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Jesse M. Furman told the jurors, Do not read or say anything about the case. Inner City Press was there.

[July 20, 2022 order on access here; Brutal Kangaroo]

On September 1, the prosecutors wrote to Judge Furman they are streamlining the CP case: "the Government does not intend to introduce the defendant's statements from his prison notebooks... the only witnesses in its case in chief would be Special Agents Richard Evanchec and Aaron Spivack and Computer Scientist Michael Berger." Still sealed?

On July 18, 2023, Judge Furman held a proceeding with Schulte and his stand-by, now full, counsel. Inner City Press was there, the only person in the courtroom gallery other than the MDC's legal liaison. Judge Furman allocuted Schulte on taking on counsel - Schulte said he had constructively been denied his right to represent himself - and set a briefing schedule.

  AUSA Denton said the US will seek sealing of the courtroom, under "the Waller factors." Watch this site.

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