By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
SDNY COURTHOUSE, April 10 – Seth Markin was the subject of an insider trading press conference on July 25, 2022. Then for his presentment he got a taxpayer-funded lawyer, declaring himself eligible in a still-sealed CJA 23 financial affidavit.
On July 25, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Sarah Netburn approved and sealed his Criminal Justice Act 23 affidavit. Inner City Press has previously gotten unsealed the CJA 23's of Michael Avenatti, and Honduras alleged narco trafficker Tigre Bonilla. But others' keep getting sealed.
On August 10, Markin ponied up and retained Maurice Sercarz, who previously represented among others horse drugging defendant Seth Fishman: "NOTICE OF ATTORNEY APPEARANCE: Maurice H. Sercarz appearing for Seth Markin. Appearance Type: Retained. (Sercarz, Maurice)."
In March 2023 Markin requested, and was granted, permission to "attend the Tattoo Arts convention in Baltimore, Maryland from April 20 through 24, 2023." Judge Ramos granted the request.
On March 30, Judge Ramos docketed that Wong intends to plead guilty: "NOTICE OF HEARING as to Brandon Wong; A change of plea hearing will be held on April 10, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. before the Hon. Edgardo Ramos, U.S.D.J., at the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, 40 Foley Square, New York, NY 10007, Courtroom 619."
On April 10, Inner City Press went. Judge Ramos referred to a February 25 plea agreement, but did not read out loud its stipulated guideline. Sentencing was set for July 20 at 10:30 am. The plea agreement guideline will presumably be in the sentencing memos filed one and two weeks before - watch this site.
Back on December 12, Judge Ramos extended the time for co-defendant Wong's sentencing: "RESCHEDULING ORDER as to Brian Wong: The sentencing previously scheduled for February 16, 2023, is hereby rescheduled for March 10, 2023 at 10:00 p.m. SO ORDERED. Sentencing set for 3/10/2023 at 10:00 AM before Judge Edgardo Ramos) (Signed by Judge Edgardo Ramos on 12/12/2022)."
On October 20, Judge Ramos held a proceeding and ruled, "Markin shall submit a letter advising the court whether or not he intends to file pretrial motions."
He did. On December Markin filed a motion to suppress his statements to the FBI, and asking Judge Ramos to order prosecutors to "elect among the charges brought under (a) Counts Two through Nine, (b) Counts 17 through 24, or Count 16 of the indictment and dismiss the remaining counts on the basis of multiplicity."
Markin is free on a $200,000 bond, with a taxpayer funded lawyer. The prosecutors said:
What kind of insider trader big enough for an SDNY press conference is, on the same day, declared eligible for publicly-paid counsel?
A first proceeding before Judge Ramos was set: "NOTICE OF HEARING as to Seth Markin, Brandon Wong. An initial conference will be held on August 3, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. before the Hon. Edgardo Ramos."
In early 2021, SETH MARKIN and BRANDON WONG together made more than $1.4 million dollars in illegal profits by trading in stock based on inside information that MARKIN misappropriated from his then-girlfriend, who was then an attorney at a major law firm in Washington D.C. assigned to work on the acquisition of Pandion Therapeutics (“Pandion”) by Merck & Co. (“Merck”).
The case is US v. Markin, et al., 22-cr-395 (Ramos)
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