Saturday, October 17, 2026

On UN Corruption UNDT Takes Month on Press Request Then Withholds All Records so Request



On UN Corruption UNDT Takes Month on Press Request Then Withholds All Records so Request

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

UN GATE, Oct 13 – UN official Vitaly Vanshelboim, whose unsealed Federal court indictment Inner City Press exclusively report, has benefited from UN cover-ups under outgoing Sec-Gen Antonio Guterres. His spokespeople Stephane Dujarric and Farhan Haq have refused to answer Press questions; now his UNDT has taken a full month to respond to a request, then denied all records.

UNDT President Sun Xiangzhuang wrote that “I do not find that you have demonstrated good cause warranting such an exceptional access,” and so “your request is dismissed.” 

But the rule he cites, Practice Direction No. 6, paragraph 13, says only that access to non-party materials “can only be granted by a Judge.” It says nothing about “exceptional” access or “good cause.” Those words appear in paragraph 10, about parties’ ex parte filings.

The letter does not say what would suffice. The Tribunal’s own Order No. 60 (GVA/2024) says the internal justice system “is governed by the principles of transparency and accountability.” Judge Sun was the presiding judge of the three-judge panel in Vanshelboim.

 Inner City Press has asked for reconsideration and a reasoned decision. And from the Spokespeople? Nothing. Nothing at all. Totally corrupt.

  The US Mission to the UN, which talks loudly of "thinning down the UN" is no help - they have delayed now months a US FOIA request about Ambassador Mike Waltz spending.


Inner City Press remains banned from UN Headquarters since July 2018, with no hearing and no appeal, and its July 25, 2026 application to enter in person and ask questions was summarily denied on September 29, after Inner City Press asked some of the questions below. Until then, it had drawn no response from either Secretary-General Guterres' office or the U.S. Mission, despite Ambassador Michael Waltz's own "Make the UN Great Again" rhetoric.

Submitted on the morning of October 5, 2026 to UN spokespeople, Farhan Haq, Stephane Dujarric, Antonio Guterres, Amina J. Mohammed, Melissa Fleming, et al:

Oct 5-1: On UN corruption and cover-ups, what are the comments and action if any of SG Guterres, and separately USUN / PR Waltz and Greek PR, on the now unsealed indictment against Vitaly Vanshelboim of UNOPS, first reported by Inner City Press?

Oct 5-1a: On alleged rapes by UN diplomats what are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres, and separately USUN / PR Waltz and Greek PR, on the case against Paolo Zampolli, previously DPR of Dominica and congratulating SG Guterres and the 2026 UNGA week you banned Inner City Press from? See, e.g, Oct 5, 2026, Daily Beast, "Model Agent Who Claims He Introduced Trump to Melania Is Accused of Rape," byTom Latchem, "The complaint, first reported on by Inner City Press, alleges she reported the incident to the NYPD," https://www.thedailybeast.com/model-agent-paolo-zampolli-who-claims-he-introduced-trump-to-melania-accused-of-rape/ and the questions each of you have left unanswered as Inner City Press has asked them.

  Oct 5-c: Please immediately provide the reasoning for MALU's Sept 29 denial of my July 25, 2026 application https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28515554-application-amid-un-secretary-general-transition-inner-city-press-applies-again-for-accreditation-here/ UN in full:

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: malu@un.org (via Indico.UN) <dgacm-noreply-indico@un.org>
Date: Tue, Sep 29, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Subject: [Indico] United Nations media accreditation declined
To: <matthew.lee@innercitypress.com>

Dear Matthew Lee,

We regret to inform you that your media accreditation request has not been approved.

Follow what is happening at the UN with these resources:  

http://www.un.org/en/media/accreditation/resources.shtml

With kind regards,

Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit (MALU)
www.un.org/malu • malu@un.org • @UNMediaLiaison • +1-212-963-6934

Oct 5-1d - Again, will the Greek Mission (cc-ed here) confirm or deny what Greek media Ekathimerini is reporting, that Feridun Sinirlioglu is campaigning for SG? Any comment from SG Guterres, given the posts he gave Sinirlioglu

After the briefing, open to a UN Correspondent who did a fundraiser with Ghislaine Maxwell, devoted to softball questions about FAO and plague in Russia nothing - not even an acknowledgment of receipt.

Days previous: What inquiry if any did the UN do after the conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell for sex trafficking, and Amir Dossal's service as 1 of 5 people on her Terramar Foundation's board? On what basis does Mr. Dossal (unlike Inner City Press which reports on sex trafficking and the UN) have access to the UN, for example yesterday at Ivonne A-Baki's stakeout? What was his role there, and in her team? What type of UN entrance pass does Mr. Dossal have?

Inner City Press will continue to ask these questions daily, and to report the silence when that is the answer. Watch this site.

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sdny

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013



Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Lopez Charged With Killing Man and Stabbing Woman in Hells Kitchen Is Remanded in 111 Centre



Lopez Charged With Killing Man and Stabbing Woman in Hells Kitchen Is Remanded in 111 Centre

by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack

111 CENTRE ST, Oct 13 – A man charged with murder was brought on October 13 before NYS Justice Althea Drysdale in 111 Centre Street. Inner City Press was there, and live tweeted:

here in NYS court 111 Centre Street for arraignment of Carlos Andres Delgado Lopez for allegedly murdering a man and attacking a woman inside his Hell’s Kitchen apartment.

Clerk: How do you plead? Delgado Lopez: (not guilty) ADA: I am service notice of immigration consequences. We'll give discovery in 15 days. A bail application when the court is ready. Justice Althea Drysdale: People's response 11/26, decision December 8

ADA: This occurred on September 9. A victim was knifed in his apartment, and called the decedant who came to help and was killed. Family members are here in the courtroom. The cause of death was kitchen knife on aorta. Defendant was found by police, erratic

 ADA: This defendant is charged with murder and attempted murder. The murder weapon was recovered. The defendant gave a psychiatric defense with a drug component. He is a citizen of another country and therefore a flight risk. Justice Drysdale: Green sheet?

 Defense: There will be a psychiatric defense. His sister is here. He'd like a negotiated plea- Justice Drysdale: I must correct the record. At arraignment there were two warrants at that time. Defense: Both were dismissed - they should not be considered

Defense: We'd like bail. Justice Drysdale: The Court finds remand is what is reasonably necessary to ensure this defendant's return to court.

Remand. Adjourned.    After a lengthy sidebar, Justice Drysdale before greeting a woman in a Yankee jersey who worked with her in AP-2 in Queens nine years ago, said, We have just had a substantive conference.  

A summary of the case, from DA Bragg's office: DELGADO LOPEZ allowed his female friend to periodically stay at his apartment, near West 47th Street and Tenth Avenue.  On September 9, 2026, DELGADO LOPEZ allegedly attacked the woman without provocation, striking her body several times with a sharp object and knocking her to the ground. Moments later, the woman ran into her bedroom and barricaded herself inside to prevent DELGADO LOPEZ from entering.  As DELGADO LOPEZ allegedly pushed and banged against the door, the woman contacted Jan Carl Mesa, DELGADO LOPEZ’s friend who lived nearby. 

At approximately 2:35 p.m., Mr. Mesa entered the apartment and attempted to calm DELGADO LOPEZ while the woman remained in the bedroom. DELGADO LOPEZ allegedly stabbed Mr. Mesa in the torso. Mr. Mesa left the apartment and collapsed outside. A few minutes later, after DELGADO LOPEZ left, the woman exited the bedroom and found Mr. Mesa bleeding. Both victims were transported to a hospital to be treated for their wounds. Mr. Mesa died hours later from two stab wounds to his chest and the woman remained hospitalized for several days.  DELGADO LOPEZ allegedly fled the scene and was arrested near Columbus Circle several minutes later.  Pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant, police officers recovered a knife from inside his apartment.

December 8...

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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.

sdny

Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013



Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Bronx Pawn Shop Stick Up Resulted In 84 Months now VOSR for No Reentry or Restitution



Bronx Pawn Shop Stick Up Resulted In 84 Months now VOSR for No Reentry or Restitution

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 13 – Lenny Oquendo pled guilty to an armed stick up of a Bronx pawn shop before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York then Magistrate Judge James L. Cott on May 31, 2019.

    Judge Cott noted that while the robbery was on 1 September 2018, the plea agreement was dated 20 March 2018, then (half) corrected to 20 May, still 2018.

   Assistant US Attorney Kyle A. Wirshba genially apologized. In the underlying complaint, Oquendo was described as tying the pawn shop victim up with duct tape and making off with $2 million in jewels. That is crossed out and, handwritten in, $200,000.  The victim in fact recognized Oquendo as having used the pawn shop for two years.

 On March 24, 2019 AUSA Wirshba wrote to the assigned District Judge Paul G. Gardephe with a stated mandatory minimum of 84 months in prison, to apologize for having "inadvertently failed to request that Mr. Oquendo be produced for Monday's conference."

On December 3, 2019, Oquendo was sentenced to 84 months and five years of supervised release.

Jump cut to September 24, 2025 when Oquendo was back in SDNY Mag Court, on an alleged violation of supervised release. Inner City Press was again there.

 It emerged that after being arrested by Yonkers PD for shoplifting, Oquendo did 30 days then was released - and immediately taken in to Federal custody on the VOSR. Probation wondered where he would be living.

 The Federal Defender, standing in, mentioned a sister in The Bronx and a brother in Middletown.  Probation mentioned someone else in Middletown; the phone with numbers could not be found.

 Judge Cave ordered him detained pending a Friday September 26 at 2 pm hearing. Thwas was pushed back several times until it resulted in a stated sentence of 89 days.

On October 13, 2026 Inner City press was back in the SDNY Mag court when Oquendo was brought in and read two specification, failure to report to a residential reentry facility, and not acting on restitution. He was detained on consent and was set to see Judge Gardephe on October 22.

 The case is USA v. Lenny Oquendo, 1:18-cr-790 (Gardephe / Cave)

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Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com

Box 130222 NY NY 10013



Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.

 Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com for