by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 29 – Rolf Schnellmann, Daniel Wälchli and Zurich, Switzerland-based Allied Finance Trust AG were indicted in 2020 for conspiracy to defraud the US.
On September 29, 2023, Schnellmann was brought before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang after being extradited in from Italy.
Inner City Press was there, the only media in the SDNY Mag court. Thread:
Schnellmann was indicted for helping 3 U.S. taxpayer-clients conceal more than $60 million offshore. They've left this for last
SCHNELLMANN arrived by extradition from Italy. There was been some whispering about there being a detainer against him.
He is getting a publicly-paid Federal Defender. AUSA: We seek detention bases on risk of flight. He was extradited from Italy, where he traveled. If he returned to Switzerland, we could not get him extradited on tax charges He is Swiss, and lives there.
Federal Defender: We ask release on $50,000 bond. He is only subject to 5 years tax.
Judge: On a tax loss of $20 million? FD: He's only charged with conspiracy. Schnellmann has an unrelated embezzlement case in Switzerland.
FD: He's a whistleblower. He did not have criminal counsel to negotiate a bail package.
FD: Yes he has an ICE detainer. But we doubt ICE will pick him up.
AUSA: He only claimed to be a whistleblower after we knew about the crimes, to seek money.
Schnellmann himself says, No!
Judge: He will be detained. He has a prior conviction. FD: We'd like him to be in Westchester DOC.
The overall case is US v. Bechtiger, 20-cr-497 (Woods / Wang)
More on Substack here
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