by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Dec 5 – Nadine Jazmine Wade is on trial for a romance scam, bank fraud and money laundering.
On December 5 victim Joy Birch was subject to direct and cross examination before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Katherine Polk Failla. Inner City Press was there, the only media in the courtroom.
Ms. Birch described how a Diego Francisco - a person who turned out not to exist - called her sweety and ended up taking $160,000 from her in a single month. "Diego Francisco" had claimed to be working to fix an oil well in Louisiana, for which he needed money but would visit Birch when he was done.
Birch said the scam made her distrust everyone, including herself.
On cross examination, Wade's lawyer retread the same ground. Days before trial, they asked for a continuance, which was denied.
The witness order, set forth in an email to counsel, includes Julia Gutierres, TR Pescod, Michael Son, Rhonda Dillon, Allison Kotsay, Olivia Arnold and Tara Adams.
The case is US v. Wade, 21-cr-472 (Failla)
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