by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Jan 9 – After a circus-like civil case involving Guo Wengui in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, which Inner City Press closely covered, here, March 15, 2023 saw the unsealing of a twelve-count Indictment charging
HO WAN KWOK, a/k/a “Miles Guo,” a/k/a “Miles Kwok,” a/k/a “Guo Wengui,” a/k/a “Brother Seven,” a/k/a “The Principal,” and KIN MING JE, a/k/a “William Je,” with various wire fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering charges. JE, who is KWOK’s financier, is also charged with obstruction of justice.
The prosecutors said that "KWOK was arrested this morning in New York, New York, and will be presented this afternoon. JE is currently at large."
Not mentioned was another, related arrest on March 15, of Guo's chief of staff Yangping Wang, aka Yvette Wang. Inner City Press, lone media in the Magistrates Court, live tweeted her presentment when the prosecutors, seemingly hoping to flip her as a cooperator, offered release on $5 million bond, but only with two co-signers they approve.
Minutes later, in a larger courtroom, Guo / Kwok was presented - with a Federal Defender for the day - and detained on consent. Inner City Press live tweeted, thread here
Jump cut to January 9, 2024 when Guo and Wang were arraigned on the superseding indictment. It was done on no notice; none of his supporters were there. Inner City Press was, and live tweeted, threadette here:
OK - at Miles Guo's arraignment in superseding indictment, co-defendant Wang here too. Guo is having his leg irons removed.
Judge: You are being arraigned on new charges, including obstruction of justice. Have you seen it, Mr Kwok?
Guo: Good morning your Honor. Absolutely not guilty!
Wang: I plead not guilty. Counsel: She is not charged in Counts 11 and 13. Judge: Trial is set for April 8.
More courtroom detail on Substack here
Back on June 14, Miles Guo's appeal of his detention was denied - full order on Patreon here
On June 6, 2023, Judge Analisa Torres set the trial date: " Trial shall begin April 8, 2024. Defendants' motion for access to a Government-provided, internet-disabled computer for the limited purpose of reviewing discovery is GRANTED."
But on June 27 Guo's counsel wrote "the Court’s Order dated June 26, 2023 (the “Order”). The Order provides the Court’s bases for overruling the defendants’ request for a speedy trial and for setting a trial date in this matter of April 8, 2024. - full June 27 letter on Patreon here
On June 29, Judge Torres granted Guo's motion to amend - but DENIED him any moving up of the trial, ruling it will remain in April 2024." Order on Patreon here
On November 27, Guo filed again for bail, citing "sharp needle-like pains in the left side of his face" and criticizing the Government's decision, in August 2023 to publicly reveal that [REDACTED.] Notice of motion here
On December 13, more from Guo - including the argument that the Federal court in the Western District of Washington allow Changpeng Zhang (CZ) of Binance to remain free on bond after his guilty plea, albeit without being able to travel to the UAE. Guo has given up his UAE citizenship, and is only safe, his lawyer Sabrina Shroff of Nizar Trabelsi fame argues, in the USA. Full 18 page filing on Patreon here.
On January 4, 2024, Judge Torres again denied bail for Guo: "ORDER as to Ho Wan Kwok: The Court concludes that the Government has again shown that Kwok's proposed conditions are insufficient to reasonably assure his appearance or prevent obstruction or economic harm to others. Accordingly, Kwok's renewed motion for bail pending trial is DENIED. The Clerk of Court is directed to terminate the motion at ECF No. 178. (Signed by Judge Analisa Torres on 1/4/2024)." Full 10 page order on Patreon here.
Watch this site.
The case is US v. Kwok, et al., 23-cr-118 (Torres)
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