By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book
BBC - Honduras - CIA Trial Book - NY Mag
SDNY COURTHOUSE, June 30 – Yoga To The People founder Gregory Gumucio was indicted for tax fraud this month.
On August 31 the prosecutors sought to impose a $1,000,000 bond and home incarceration. Instead they got a $250,000 bond and GPS - and Gumicio got a free (or tax payer funded) lawyer.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis, on duty this week, held the bond hearing. Inner City Press was in the Magistrates Court, as usual, and live tweeted it here:
OK - now in Magistrates court for US v Greg Gumucio of Yoga To The People, for tax fraud.
Somehow he has a free Federal Defender. DOJ says Gumucio made $1.6 million in cash, stacks on St Marks Place. He has sworn he is eligible in a sealed affidavit
Inner City Press has won orders unsealing financial affidavits of Avenatti, a Honduras narco (Tigre Bonilla) and Dr. Ricardo Cruciani (RIP). US is agreeing to bail - $1 million bond. But he has publicly paid lawyer?!?
AUSA: Washinton state (Federal) court doesn't usually require bond, or ban guns. We want both.
Federal Defender: We oppose.
AUSA: He is a risk of witness tampering and intimidation. He used nominees. We have his emails. He had $30,000 in cash in his guitar case. [And now?]
AUSA: He spent $40,000 on NFL season tickets... $75,000 on hotels. His travel included Israel, China, Taiwan, and to his mentor in Mexico.
AUSA: His mentor fled a US arrest warrant. He went to see him in Acapulco. He could work there. AUSA: He has been arrested 15 times. He fled a Colorado warrant. He opened yoga studios in other people's names. He lives 6 hours' drive from Canada. He groomed young women...
AUSA: These traumatized women were offered the illusory title of yoga studio owner. He was friends with a member of Organized Crime who hung around the hot yoga studio.
AUSA: He went to the yoga studio of a breakaway former member and lay on the floor, not engaging in yoga. Then he screamed, Don't talk about my life! Do you know what I can do to you?
Judge: How close to him in Washington state are the witnesses? AUSA: Within 2 or 3 hours.
Federal Defender: Your Honor as you are well aware the Government has the burden. Home confinement is not necessary.
FD: He should be able to go to Oregon, like his partner [and co-defendant Haven Soliman]. His landlord used to be with Yoga To The People.
Judge: I'm not going to give any weight to his past criminal history. The mentor in Mexico, maybe.
FD: He works as a consultant to "Cohen Vision." Today he missed two of his kids' first day of school; he wouldn't be able to go to his daughter's fast pitch [softball] practice. FD: He hasn't visited the mentor in Mexico since 2019. [COVID]
FD: Here in court are his brother and adult son. FD: We don't know the tone of his threat.
AUSA: He and his partner both work remotely from home. He's trying to use his kids. He has relatives in Bolivia, and yoga in Israel and Spain. In-person physical fitness took a hit in the pandemic.
FD: His mentor doesn't live in Mexico anymore.
Judge is working on laptop, before ruling.
Judge: There'll be 3 co-signers on a $250,000 bond. No home incarceration. Just GPS. Oregon for sports activities in Portland. Not within sixty miles of Canada border.
Long whispered sidebar. Is it being recorded so could be transcribed?
Brother not signing, even as moral suasion. Adjourned.
The other co-defendant is Michael Anderson.
Checking in on June 30, 2023, ten months into the case, and there have been ten requests for a continuance in the interest of justice, and still no indictment. What gives?
The case is still US v. Gumucio, et al., 22-mj-6904 (Willis)
***
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.
