By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
SDNY COURT EXCLUSIVE, Jan 15 - In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on November 28, 2022, a detention or bond proceeding was held by Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron on a white collar defendant charged in a case involving "boiler rooms" in Cyprus, Romania, Spain and Cambodia.
Inner City Press was there, the only media in the Mag Court.
The defendant Scott Steven Neilson, it was said, might be seeking upon release on bond to travel to the United Kingdom. But travel was restricted to the SDNY and EDNY. Scott Steven Neilson was wearing black pants and shirt, and had a retained attorney. He was released on $500,000 bond, secured by $30,000.
In the same case, Daniel Nielson pleaded guilty on September 30, 2022, before District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
Jump cut to August 20, 2024 when a trio extradited in from Cyprus were presented, arraigned and detained - one of them extremely thin, taking from cancer treatment in Cyprus. Thread:
The back row on the Magistrates courtroom gallery is full of 7 law enforcement: prosecutor has not arrived yet. One of the three defendants is a woman; a younger man in a track suit and an older man, with a Cypriot-sounding name and longer gray hair. Awaiting AUSA
Assistant US Attorney has arrived, takes 1 IRS agent up to the prosecutors' table. All rise! AUSA: They came into our custody in Cyprus yesterday.
Judge: You are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud & money laundering, & aggravated ID theft. How do you plead? 3 not guilties, British-sounding accents. Judge: All 3 of you will be detained.
Counsel to female defendant: She was taken out of the hospital [The female defendant does look extremely thin. She was being treated for cancer in Cyprus]
Defense counsel: This is unconscionable. The case has been going on for two years Judge: I will sign the medical needs order to the MDC.
On September 9 Inner City Press went to the next conference. The extraditee taken out of the cancer ward in Cyprus was not present; the other defendants were in the jury box. Thread:
AUSA: There are at least two more to be extradited- one from Northern Ireland, the other fled Cyprus. [The names were given] These four have not requested discovery, but rather, talks.
Judge: Next is Dec 11 at noon
Defense counsel: There is a member of the press here.
AUSA: We have no objection to sealing the transcript.
Judge: Shall we do it at sidebar? [In fact, they went into "robing room," entirely out of view. When they returned it was only said that the transcript would be sealed]
On October 2, the female inmates of 3 North of the MDC-Brooklyn wrote to Judge Oetken with "deep concern about our fellow inmate Mrs. Brenda Laverty... Her condition has deteriorated... an open wound on her abdomen."
On October 9, with no response in the docket on the Ladies' letter, a notation that Jake Mardell is set to plead guilty on October 16. He did.
On October 11 - still nothing on the letter - this: "Notice as to Andrew Georgiou: A change of plea hearing is scheduled for October 22, 2024 at 2:15 pm."
And it occured: "Change of Plea Hearing as to Andrew Georgiou held on 10/22/2024. Plea entered by Andrew Georgiou (8) Guilty as to Count 1sss,3sss. Change of Plea Hearing held. Defendant sworn and the Court accepts the defendant's change of plea to Guilty as to counts 1 and 3. The sentencing date is set for January 15, 2025 at 12:30 pm."
A month later, another - and still nothing on the letter: "Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge J. Paul Oetken: Change of Plea Hearing as to Neophytos Georgiou held on 11/22/2024. Defendant present with attorney David Wikstrom; AUSA Andrew Jones present; Court Reporter present. Change of Plea Hearing held. Defendant sworn and the Court accepts the defendants change of plea to Guilty as to counts 1,2 and 3. (Sentencing set for 2/21/2025 at 12:30 PM before Judge J. Paul Oetken)
On November 27 Jake Mardell's lawyer wrote in asking for time served, citing conditions in the MDC.
On December 4, the US Attorney's Office wrote in on Mardell, asking for "at least 40 months." But still nothing on the MDC letter, and Brenda Laverty.
On December 6, Mardell got time served. Inner City Press asked, so why is Brenda Laverty lanquishing?
On January 3, 2025, co-defendant Georgiou wrote in through counsel asking for 27 months (then the US on January 8 asking for 51 months) on January 15 - when Brenda Laverty will both change her plea and be sentenced - to time served?
Late on January 13 the US Attorney's Office wrote in that Laverty has been in the hospital for most of the time since they extradited her and so asked for less than two years, saying she will be asking for time served.
On January 15 her plea was accepted; her defense lawyer said ICE was waiting to take her to the airport to be deported to Ireland for treatment, with "gauze for her excretions." He thanked the Government, apparently for arranging hospitals. But why did they extradite her in from a cancer ward?
More on X for Subscribers here & Substack here
The case is US v. Neilson, et al., 21-cr-189 (Oetken)
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