By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Worth St Video
SDNY COURTHOUSE, March 12 - In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, an arraignment was held by Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave former FBI agent Charles McGonigal, for helping Russian oligarch Deripaska in violation of US sanctions, and money laundering.
McGonigal, who'd hired former US Attorney for the Eastern District of NY Seth duCharme, pled not guilty and was given a $500,000 personal recognisance bond bail deal. Thread below. He has also been indicted in the District for the District of Colombia.
SDNYAugust 15, 2023 guilty plea proceeding, thread here: (and video afterward here)
And below, the Nov 30 request for no jail time
McGonigal: I agreed to collect open source information about a business competitor of Oleg Deripaska, to try to put him on the US sanctions list. I knew that it was wrong. I want to thank you for treating me fairly.
[His voice breaks]
Plea agreement letter on Patreon here.
On November 30 McGonigal's counsel Seth DuCharme submitted partially redacted letters and a sentencing memo asking for a "non-custodial sentence" - that is, no jail time. Former FBI Thomas S. Shaughnessy recounts McGonigal "saving" an FBI field agent named Mike, no last name, "rough as a cob with a true potty mouth."
He also recounts McGonigal giving "Angry Kevin" the "Bradley Manning / Julian Assange case ('Wikileaks') and that case made Kevin's reputation." Letter on Patreon here.
On December 7, the US Attorney's Office wrote in and request a sentence of 60 months, and a $200,000 fine.
Some of the letters are touching. Sentencing was set for December 14 at 1:30 pm.
Inner City Press live tweeted it, thread:
Judge: On voluntary surrender? AUSA: Fine, after his sentencing in Washington DC - thirty days after that. Judge: So, Feb 26, 2024, surrender by 2 pm, after the DDC sentencing on Feb 16. Any open counts?
AUSA: We move to dismiss them.Judge: Mr. Scotten, anything more? AUSA Hagen Scotten: No, your Honor. Judge: We are adjourned.
Later the surrender date was moved to March 18 - and on March 12, McGonigal's counsel wrote in to request another 11 week extension, letter on Patreon here.
The case is US v. McGonigal, 23-cr-16 (Rearden)
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