DOJ Moves to Unseal Epstein Grand Jury Transcripts Amid Maxwell Appeal & UN Links

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 18 – Past 5 pm Todd Blanche filed in SDNY asking to unseal the grand jury transcripts of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

  Blanche wrote "the privacy interests at stake on the other side of the balance are substantially diminished due to Epstein’s death. Of course, as noted above, the Department of Justice will work with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York to redact all victim-identifying information prior to any release. 6. For these reasons, this Court should conclude that the Epstein and Maxwell cases qualify as a matter of public interest, release the associated grand jury transcripts, and lift any preexisting protective orders."

With Ghislaine Maxwell in prison, she has reportedly offered to testify to Congress about Jeffrey Epstein, presumably for a pardon.

    Inner City Press is on the case, noting on July 14 DOJ's opposition to Maxwell's appeal -

"that Epstein’s nonprosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida barred petitioner’s prosecution by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. That contention is incorrect" -

after having asked Maxwell herself question when she did a press conference in the UN. After that, Inner City Press was banned from the UN by SG Antonio Guterres. His spokesman Stephane Dujarric on July 14, 2025 refused to answer written questions, including:

On deadline, explain why Ghislaine Maxwell was granted a press conference in the UN briefing room, and why a UN correspondent who did a fundraiser with Ghislaine Maxwell - convicted of sex trafficking here in SDNY, and known at the time to be manager for Jeffrey Epstein - is allowed in daily and can ask questions, while Inner City Press which asked and asks remains banned, with 6/19/25 application to MALU pending, none of the promised (by Dujarric) answers to written questions like this provided

      No answers.

     On April 19, 2022 U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Loretta A. Preska held a proceeding to unseal some but not all documents.  Inner City Press, which has published a book on the Maxwell trial here, and another book including the Larry Ray trial "John list" here, live tweeted it, thread here:

 173-6 it will be sealed [or redacted.]

Jump cut to April 25, 2025, with Virginia Giuffre declared dead, reportedly by suicide. A redacted life. Rest in Peace.

Inner City Press continues reporting on the UN (where Ghislaine Maxwell was allowed a press conference and SG  Antonio Guterres  had a rep on her Terramar board  (video here, story here). On June 19, 2025 Inner City Press applied to re-enter the UN to ask these questions, here.

More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

   Watch this site.  

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Blake Lively Asks to Unseal List of Media Melissa Nathan Contacted for Justin Baldoni

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 18 – In the Blake Lively v. Justin Baldoni lawsuits, a hearing was held on February 3 before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Lewis J. Liman. Inner City Press was there with live coverage, thread

On February 10, Lively's lawyer asked for delay: "Plaintiff Blake Lively respectfully moves for an extension of time to file her amended complaint to March 5, 2025.  Full filing on Patreon here

On February 11 Baldoni's lawyer consented to delay but noted "unnecessary and baseless attacks on non-party Jed Wallace and the litigation pending against Ms. Lively" - filing on Patreon here

On February 25 Baldoni disagreed on the proposed protective order, on Patreon here

On February 28 Baldoni filed to expand the quashing of Lively's subpoena to include Warfarer employees - filing on Patreon here

On July 16, the eve of Lively's deposition, an emergency hearing which Inner City Press live tweeted here.

At 8:30 pm Lively's lawyers wrote in that her deposition is being pushed to July 31.

On July 18 Lively's lawyers filed to "request that the Court compel1 Defendant The Agency Group PR LLC , Defendant Melissa Nathan’s self-proclaimed “reputation management” company, to de-designate as confidential and Attorneys’ Eyes Only TAG’s June 25, 2025 Second Supplemental Responses... The Interrogatory Responses identify individuals and media outlets with whom TAG communicated about Ms. Lively. The Court should not permit TAG to manipulate the discovery process to perpetuate the same harms that got it sued in the first place... it further exacerbates public backlash against Ms. Lively." Filing on Patreon here

Back on February 6, a new book "Hollywood Hearsay," ranging from the CRD complaint in California o Jed Wallace's new case in Texas, comparing SDNY defamation cases, from Sarah Palin through Devin Nunes v Rachel Maddow. Book here, Audiobook here

More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here, Buy Me a Coffee here

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

White Collar Defendant Hunsicker Is Allowed to Self Surrender then Released on $1M Bond

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 18 – A white collar defendant was allowed to self-surrender and was released on bond the same day in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Inner City Press was there, and live tweeted. 

 The SDNY prosecutors say Christine Hunsicker schemed "to defraud investors in the fashion technology business CaaStle and a related venture out of more than $300 million through false statements, misleading claims, and fabricated documents." 

  Inner City Press went to the SDNY Magistrates Court, where Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis was presiding, and former SDNY prosecutor Ana Stotko was the defense lawyer.  

  After both sides reviewed the pre-trial services report, the prosecutor announced an agreement on $1 million personal recognizance bond, secured by property listed in the sealed report - and that she is to "refrain from gambling."  

 The case is USA v. Hunsicker, 1:25-cr-318 (Oekten)

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

LA Reid In Sexual Assault Lawsuit By Dixon Opposes Adverse Inference for Deleting Texts

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 18 – In 2023 Drew Dixon sued music producer L.A. Reid for sexual assault, saying it had cost her, along other things, producer points on Kanye West and John Legend. 

  On July 9, 2025 counsel for Reid appeared before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Jeannette A. Vargas, asking to withdraw from the case due to Reid failing to pay. Inner City Press was there, thread:

Defense counsel says not getting paid, LA mansion can't be sold. Defense counsel: At one point Mr. Reid changed his phone number and I couldn't reach him. When we became aware of destruction of text messages, our firm paid for forensic review, Judge Caproni called us generous

Judge Vargas: Has Mr. Reid spoken to you about your motion to withdraw?  Defense counsel: He expressed displeasure. Dixon's lawyer: We deposed Mr. Johnson, the house can be sold, Mariah Carey met at his house in October 2024 

Dixon's lawyer: Mr. Ried could pay from the song Good, Good with Usher.  

Judge Vargas: There may be a pattern of delay tactics by Mr. Reid. But I don't want to hurt this small boutique defense firm. I am considering denying the motion to withdraw, so discovery can end. But not for trial  Judge: I will allow them to withdraw before trial. If Mr. Reid or a new counsel does not appear for the final pre-trial conference, Dixon may move for default.

On July 17, Dixon's lawyers asked for leave to file on adverse inference, writing that Defendant Reid "deleted over 200 text messages on December 14, 2024... The messages that Defendant did not delete are of a sexual nature... The text messages he deleted were likely even more explicit."

Reid's outgoing counsel, still on the case, fired back on July 18 that Dixon is "attempting to impugn Reid for recently deleting text messages with a 'female subordinate' that have nothing to do with Dixon or this case." Inner City Press remains on the case(s)

More on X for Subscribers here and on Substack here

The case is  Dixon v. Reid, 1:23-cv-9878 (Vargas)

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Ripple Labs Application for Bank Charter Hit With Protest to OCC As Opaque Circle Copy

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SOUTH BRONX/SDNY, July 18 – With the US Congress passing the cryptocurrency GENIUS Act, Ripple Labs as well as Circle and others, have applied for banking charters to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.  

 On July 18, Fair Finance Watch filed timely opposition to Ripple's application:  

On behalf of Fair Finance Watch, this is a timely comment in opposition to the application to charter the proposed Ripple National Trust Bank.    This cookie-cutter application, for which inappropriate requests for confidential treatment have been made, explains virtually nothing about what New York City-based RNTB would do.

   The application states that it would be exempt from the Community Reinvestment Act - FFW disagrees - and does not make any of the required showing of meeting convenience and needs of community, or being of any public benefit.   Perhaps some such information is in the improperly withheld portions of the application. Inner City Press earlier this week submitted two FOIA requests, neither of which has been responded to in any way. (The requests also concern Circle's proposed bank - tellingly, Ripple uses the same Paul Hastings parters as Circle, and the applications are nearly identical, creating problems both of credibility and, for the record, of antitrust). The comment period should be extended. 

 For now, as to Ripple under the statutory factors that must be considered including managerial resources, consider: "Ripple’s CEO distances firm from federal investigations into Linqto’s shares scandal," and "Is Ripple at Risk?"   In terms of lack of transparency, consider for the record: "Is Ripple Selling XRP Behind the Scenes? On-Chain Clues Emerge."

   FFW will have more to say when it receives responses to its and Inner City Press' FOIA requests. On the current record, the application(s) could not legitimately be approved.

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

After Sean Combs and Guard Sued by Graves for 2001 Rape Now Case Stayed Pending 2 CIR

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 17 – In May 2024 Crystal McKinney sued Sean Combs for sexual assault under the NYC Gender Motivated Violence in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

  The suit recounts Combs inviting McKinney to Cipriani Downtown - in 2003 - then to his studio on West 44th Street where he drugged and assaulted her, according to the complaint. 

On September 24, 2024, after Combs' arrest and detention in the MDC, Thalia Graves sued Combs and others alleging a 2001 rape, complaint on Patreon here.

  On December 30, Graves' lawyer wrote it seeking to dismissed the corporate defendants, noting that "the remaining defendants, Defendants Sean Combs and Joseph Sherman, both consent to the dismissal of the Corporate Defendants." Filing on Patreon here.

On January 3 Judge Torres ordered that the amended complaint be filed on or before January 17.

It was - and on February 7 Combs' lawyers wrote in seeking a pre-motion conference to discuss a motion to dismiss as untimely, citing a dismissed case against the also detained Alexander brothers. Filing on Patreon here

Jump cut to June 4, when Sherman's defamation claims against Graves and her lawyer were dismissed - and some sanctions ordered - by Judge Torres. Order on Patreon here

Jump again to July 17, when Judge Torres granted defendants' motion to stay the case: "The Court finds that judicial economy counsels in favor of a stay and that to proceed at this juncture risks wasting judicial and party resources. Defendants'request for a stay pending the Second Circuit's resolution of the appeals in Parker v. Alexander, No. 25-487 (2d Cir.), and Doe v. Black, No. 25-564 (2d Cir.), is, therefore, GRANTED. The Clerk of Court is respectfully directed to STAY all hearings, deadlines, and motions in this matter pending further order of the Court. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Analisa Torres on 7/17/2025)." Letter and order on Patreon here

This case is Sherman v. Graves, et al., 1:24-cr-8494 (Torres)

  Inner City Press is covering the Combs cases. The ongoing civil case is  Graves v. Combs, et al., 1:24-cv-7201 (Torres)

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Roman Storm Opening Said He Made People Safe Now Argues for Expert on Crypto Threats

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 17 – 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

The US on July 9, 2025 filed opposition - just as in the Samouri Wallet case a letter from Senator Lummis and Wyden that cites theTornado Cash case, letter now on Patreon, with Samouri story, here.

On July 11 Inner City Press live tweeted a conference in which the US said Witness-1 only began speaking to them on July 3 and is seeking sentence reduction under Rule 35. Judge Failla will let Witness-1 testifying, but expressed doubts on venue. Thread.

On July 14 Inner City Press live tweeted jury selection.

On July 15 in opening statements, AUSA Kevin Mosley said Storm knowing helped North Korean hackers. Storm's Keri Axel said he made people safe.

On July 16 the US filed a motion in limine about the opening: "this Court should preclude Storm from eliciting testimony from his expert, Matthew Green" filing on Patreon here

Docketed on July 17 during questioning of FBI agents, Storm's lawyers responded (filing on Patreon here) that  Dr. Green’s expert disclosure made reference to “dangerous gangs” and “people being threatened, harmed, and even kidnapped by bad actors attempting to take their cryptocurrency.” There is a pending New York City case on just this - will it come in?

More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

The case is USA v. Storm, et al., 1:23-cr-430 (Failla)

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Blake Lively Says Only 1 Deposition But Jed Wallace Got Dismissed So SDNY Hearing Held

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 16 – In the Blake Lively v. Justin Baldoni lawsuits, a hearing was held on February 3 before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Lewis J. Liman. Inner City Press was there with live coverage, thread

On February 10, Lively's lawyer asked for delay: "Plaintiff Blake Lively respectfully moves for an extension of time to file her amended complaint to March 5, 2025.  Full filing on Patreon here

On February 11 Baldoni's lawyer consented to delay but noted "unnecessary and baseless attacks on non-party Jed Wallace and the litigation pending against Ms. Lively" - filing on Patreon here

On February 25 Baldoni disagreed on the proposed protective order, on Patreon here

On February 28 Baldoni filed to expand the quashing of Lively's subpoena to include Warfarer employees - filing on Patreon here

On July 16, the eve of Lively's deposition, an emergency hearing which Inner City Press live tweeted here.

As of 6:30 pm it appears the deposition will go forward, with Jed Wallce's lawyer(s) present.

Back on February 6, a new book "Hollywood Hearsay," ranging from the CRD complaint in California o Jed Wallace's new case in Texas, comparing SDNY defamation cases, from Sarah Palin through Devin Nunes v Rachel Maddow. Book here, Audiobook here

More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here, Buy Me a Coffee here

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

In Roman Storm Trial 3 Victims then NFT Fraud Cooperator Describe Tornado Cash Dealings

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 16 – 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

The US on July 9, 2025 filed opposition - just as in the Samouri Wallet case a letter from Senator Lummis and Wyden that cites theTornado Cash case, letter now on Patreon, with Samouri story, here.

On July 11 Inner City Press live tweeted a conference in which the US said Witness-1 only began speaking to them on July 3 and is seeking sentence reduction under Rule 35. Judge Failla will let Witness-1 testifying, but expressed doubts on venue. Thread.

On July 14 Inner City Press live tweeted jury selection.

On July 16, catfishing victim Lin, hacking victims Ronin and Bitmart (through outside counsel under subpoena) testified - thread - then rugpull convict Andre LLacuna, whose case went dormant in SDNY

More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here

The case is USA v. Storm, et al., 1:23-cr-430 (Failla)

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Amid UN80 Guterres Burns Money in Abyei as Fails on Sudan War and Bans Inner City Press

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, July 15 – How corrupt is today's UN under Antonio Guterres? Today Inner City Press focuses in again on Sudan, specifically Guterres' failing and wasteful UNISFA mission in Abyei.

Dear Matthew Russell Lee:

The ongoing failures under UN Secretary-General António Guterres' leadership have culminated in a disastrous situation at the largest UN site in Sudan—the KADUGLI site. The decision to close this critical site, made by CMS Uchenna Odenigbo—currently facing pending harassment charges for misconduct involving staff in Libya—has led to severe, irreparable damage to the KADUGLI camp.

  In the first week of July 2025, Odenigbo issued orders for the complete dismantling and destruction of the KADUGLI site, signaling the permanent closure of the camp. This reckless decision resulted in the destruction of critical infrastructure, valued in the millions of dollars. Despite this irreversible damage, Odenigbo shockingly reversed her stance just days later, instructing senior staff to somehow sustain the camp despite the extensive destruction.

 Details of the Destruction:  All UN barcodes, signs, and official markings were stripped from UN-owned assets, leaving the site in an unrecognizable state. Equipment worth millions of dollars was destroyed on-site, rendering vital resources useless and irreparable.  This hasty, ill-thought-out, and poorly coordinated action has ignited deep frustration and anger among senior UN officials, including the two Under-Secretaries-General (USGs), Mr. Khari and Mr. LaCroix [who has done nothing about the accelerating rapes by his UN "peacekeepers," stoked by Guterres' regime of impunity and banning of critics and Press.]

Among the senior UNHQ officials now tasked with managing this fallout and attempting to restore functionality to the KADUGLI site are:  Anna Lisa Gazzola Maurizia Calo  Vadim Potanin  Massimo Lo Schiavo Priya Sehgal  Yuriy Kryvoruchko Stewart Simms  Barbara Reggi  Istvan Koever  Irena Erakovic  Yohannes Nigussie  Raihan Khalil  and many more... 

Who will be held accountable for the cost of restoring the UN equipment and rebuilding the KADUGLI camp?  Given the millions of dollars in damage caused by the reckless decisions surrounding the camp's closure, it’s crucial to know who will foot the bill for these preventable losses. Will the UN absorb the financial burden of this crisis, or will those responsible for this catastrophic failure be held to account?

  The Press must be allowed back in to ask.

Now this, from UN whistleblowers through Inner City Press:

Dear Matthew Russell Lee, please publish:

...Under the UN80 reform, what we know so far is, among the positions to cut (mainly individuals from the base) there are 3 P5 positions. It seems they've been singled out by either their sexual orientation or due to their nationality and gender (female). Competent and capable women singled out, cornered to the point where their careers are about to be terminated in retaliation

And what is the UN of Antonio Guterres doing about all this? Nothing - but banning the Press that reports it. On June 19, 2025, reapplied to re-enter, here, to get answers in person to these questions since they do not answer written questions - totally corrupt.

We'll have more on all this. Keep the info coming.

***

Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com