Italian Man Charged With Literary Wire Fraud Is Freed To West Village Secured by London Fla

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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 6 –    An Italian man arrested on January 5 at JFK airport was ordered released on bond on January 6. Inner City Press was there, the only media in the Magistrates Court of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and live tweeted, here and below.   The US Attorney had announced:

"an indictment charging FILIPPO BERNARDINI with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with a multi-year scheme to impersonate individuals involved in the publishing industry in order to fraudulently obtain hundreds of pre-publication manuscripts of novels and other forthcoming books.  BERNARDINI was arrested this afternoon when he arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport.  He will be presented tomorrow before United States Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger in Manhattan federal court."  

On January 6 Inner City Press reported on the detention of another defendant as a felon in possession of ammunition; Bernardini, on the other hand, was release. Thread here:

Bernardini is getting a publicly funded Federal Defender. He pleads not guilty. US is seeking his detention, saying he resides in UK and is a risk of flight.

AUSA quotes Bernardini, upon his arrest yesterday, saying, How can I be arrested here? I am not a US citizen. Federal Defender says Bernardini was arrested at JFK airport yesterday with his long time partner Benjamin Kaye, who is here in court. He works for Kellogg's.

Federal Defender says Mr Bernardini's father is flying to New York with cash; she mentions $200,000. They could stay in the West Village with electronic monitoring.

 Now Bernardini's partner Benjamin Kaye raises his offer to $300,000, secured by London flat. Judge asks if he'd surrender his passport.

 Federal Defender: They're here on US visa waiver program. Kellogg's would let him work from NY for 2 months.

 Judge: Could Mr Kaye put up the security today? AUSA: It would have to involve confession of judgment. 

Federal Defender: He could be outfitted with a GPS bracelet today

 Judge: There are conditions for release. I will release him on bond signed by Mr Kay and Mr Bernardini's father, and a US co-signer. Surrender passport for 2 months and reside at [ ] West 13th Street, Apartment [ ].

Judge: Before release, they must sign the bond and surrender passport. Seek or maintain employment -

Federal Defender: He won't be allowed to work. And the apartment is small.

Judge: I'll order a curfew, and he must notify Pre-Trial if out for more than an hour.

The case is US v. Bernardini, 21-cr-458 (McMahon / Lehrburger)

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