Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Monday, August 11, 2025
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Saturday, August 9, 2025
Friday, August 8, 2025
By 26 Federal Plaza Court Woman Asks Why As ICE Agent Asks Photog About Uniqlo Boots
by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
26 FEDERAL PLAZA, Aug 8 – There are a dozen ICE officers with masks over their faces in front of Courtroom 1237 in 26 Federal Plaza. In the hall outside the media is allowed to stand, waiting.
On the morning of August 8, Inner City Press was there when a Latinos family came out of the courtroom. A woman was crying, asking "porque?" as she was comforted and taken down a short hallway away from the click of the cameras.
"Did they grab somebody?" a journalist asked, without answer.
ICE officer told journalists and photographers to stand to the side as the family passed: a man pushing a stroller, a toddler in a blue Oxford cloth shirt, and the crying woman.
"Please get against the wall," one of the ICE agents told reporters.
"Can't you give them some privacy?" asked another, adding, "Of course not."
[Later an ICE agent asked a reporter about his boots, items from Uniqlo. They had more in common then they'd thought.]
There are no overflow courtrooms, allowing the Press to observe the cases, and little transparency.
The judges in the courtrooms in 1237 appear to be named Sponzo, Harbeck, Sagesse and Nasser - no first names on the sign.
Instead, a sign says "A message to illegal aliens: A warning to self-deport."
More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here
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As DOJ Mulls Death Penalty for Sikkema for Murder of Gallerist Husband in Brazil Sept 18
by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Aug 8 – Daniel Sikkema has been subject to an Interpol warrant for the murder of his estanged husband, art gallery owner Brent Sikkema, in Brazil. On March 20 Daniel Sikkema was brought by US Marshals into the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrates Court, with detention sought for passport fraud. Inner City Press was the only media there and live tweeted, thread
He was released - but on March 27 asked for a delay in putting up the Queens house: we have "identified a substitute property located in Manhattan to secure Mr. Sikkema’s bond, as the home we initially intended to post is unavailable." Letter on Patreon here.
On April 12, Daniel Sikkema was formally indicted. Patreon here
On December 18, a trial date was picked, and Inner City Press was there, the only media in the courtroom. From the thread:
All rise! Judge: I recently denied defendant's motions. Let's set a trial date. AUSA: April 21? Judge: I'm told there's a large jury selection here thay day [US v Eric Adams]. So the 22nd Story later
Addendum: Just after "Adjourned," Judge Ramos genially asked Inner City Press, What's the big trial here on April 21? "Eric Adams."
Well, not anymore. And on February 11, a superseding indictment of Sikkema, including murder for hire charges.
Inner City Press was in the Magistrates Court when he was remanded into detention.
And again on February 26 before Judge Ramos, from the thread:
AUSA: The capital case process is changing under the new Administration
[We asked: Will it apply also to US v Luigi Mangeone? The answer is, Yes. Jeezy Mula too]
On July 1, still no decision on Sikkema: "Conference as to Daniel Sikkema held on 7/1/2025. The government has not yet decided whether it will seek the death penalty in this case. A pretrial conference is scheduled for August 13, 2025."
But on August 7 the US Attorney's Office wrote in asking for 30 more days, saying DOJ "is determining whether it will seek the death penalty in this case. That decision has not yet been made."
On August 8, "as to Daniel Sikkema, the status conference scheduled for August 13, 2025, is adjourned to September 18, 2025, at 11 a.m. (Signed by Judge Edgardo Ramos on 8/8/2025)
More details on X for Subscribers here and Substack here
The case is USA v. Sikkema, 1:24-cr-227 (Ramos)
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Nissan Bid for US Bank Charter Hit with Protest Dealership and Compliance Issues Downplayed
by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SOUTH BRONX/SDNY, Aug 8 – Amid scandals, Nissan has applied for a banking charter to the FDIC and Utah regulator.
On July 23, Fair Finance Watch filed timely opposition to Nissan's application:
On behalf of Fair Finance Watch, this is a timely comment in opposition to the application to charter and insure the proposed Nissan Bank U.S. LLC.
This cookie-cutter application, for which inappropriate requests for confidential treatment have been made, explains virtually nothing about what the proposed Nissan Bank would do, particularly under the Community Reinvestment Act.
While the claim is made that it will serve, if not the community, Nissan dealership, the scandal-plagued company has been sued by its dealerships: "A Southern California dealership group has accused Nissan North America in a lawsuit of a “nefarious scheme to suffocate the vehicle inventory of and ultimately squeeze out one of its most loyal and successful franchised dealers for illegal and improper reasons."
This refers to Nissan's wider, still unresolved scandal.
See, e.g, "THIS PUBLIC SCANDAL HAS TO BE THE WORST IN NISSAN'S HISTORY,"
"The 2020s have thus far proven to be a horrific decade for Nissan. With income rapidly declining, discontinuation of the GT-R halo car, and about 20,000 layoffs as of May 2025, the Japanese automaker hasn't seen a break in a while — but at least it's a better situation than the Carlos Ghosn scandal, an ongoing tale of financial misappropriation, breach of trust, and a daring escape inside a musical instrument box. The scandal revolves around a combination of various financial fraud accusations levied against one Carlos Ghosn, former head of Nissan, Renault, and Mitsubishi. The accusations claim the disgraced CEO supposedly underreported vast sums of his own salary and organized a complex financial scheme between his personal account, Nissan, and the Middle East."
The scandal are even more specific, impacting for example subcontractors: Nissan received " a warning from the Fair Trade Commission. The regulator in March reported that Nissan unlawfully pressured subcontractors between January 2021 and April 2023 to reduce prices. Underpayments totaled ¥3 billion, the most ever recorded since the Subcontract Act was enacted in 1956. Earlier this month, TV Tokyo reported that Nissan had continued the practice with two suppliers despite the warning."
This is not a company that should be given FDIC insurance from US taxpayers, not a bank charter with no public benefit, no real CRA plan.
On August 8 Nissan's outside law firm intoned to the FDIC: "On behalf of Nissan Motor Acceptance Company LLC (“NMAC”), and as the proposed President and Chief Executive Officer of Nissan Bank U.S., LLC (the “Bank”), a Utah state- chartered industrial bank, I appreciate the opportunity to respond to the Fair Finance Watch’s letter regarding the Bank’s Charter and Deposit Insurance application to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) and Utah Department of Financial Institutions (“UDFI”) and the Bank’s proposed Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) plan... the litigation concerning specific Nissan dealerships and suppliers, as well as the events concerning former Nissan executives, are being treated with the utmost seriousness by the company." How?
FFW will have more to say when it receives responses to its and Inner City Press' FOIA requests. On the current record, the application(s) could not legitimately be approved.
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UN Volker Turk Collaborated in Banning Press Now He Exchanges Cronies His Staff Tell Press
by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
UN GATE, Aug 8 – How corrupt and decrepit has the UN system become under Antonio Guterres, in this case due to Guterres? Today's example is again from the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights, to which Guterres appointed his unqualified crony Volker Turk more than two years ago.
From OHCHR staff: "Dear Matthew Lee, Today Guterres’ crony, Volker Turk announced the replacement of hid deputy Nada Al Nashif and ASG Ilze Brands Kehris. This is nothing more than a masked dismissal. Although Volker Turk is ultimately responsible for the disastrous situation of the UN Human Rights Office, Nada Al Nashif has been the real manager of daily affairs for the last six years. For six years she has run a click of power with highly questionable appointments.
She has favored compatriots in clear conflict of interest. She has promoted unqualified candidates, like notorious incompetent and liar, like Kim Taylor, with no experience in finance and administration (who lied in her PHP and favoured the recruitment of her boyfriend). Nada Al Nashif also promoted her compatriot Mohamed Al Ansour, who raised from P3 to D1 without human rights experience. Nada Al Nashif also promoted to D2, Maarit Sherif Kohonen, who enabled her husband to raise from P1 to P4 under her supervision and allows a power-click with Turk’s protégés Matthias and Azra Behnke.
Nada Al Nashif also recruited an invisible D1 and unable P5 for fundraising and a P5 absent diversity adviser aggravating the financial crisis in OHCHR. Nada Al Nashif is responsible for the reprisals against staff representatives and whistleblowers, like Emma Reilly and others. For years staff has been asking Volker Turk for a replacement of Nada Al Nashf. But she was a convenient henchman for Turk. She has also been responsible for selective application of rules, always in her favor and for mismanagement of funds which have led to a 60 million USD deficit. Nada Al Nashif, Kim Taylor and Maarit Kohonen are responsible for a dubious “cost recovery” practice by which monies allocated to field programmes are used to pay positions in Geneva, something hidden to donors.
Over 15 million USD from field programmes will be deviated to HQ in 2025 in clear fraud to donors. Nada Al Nashif has been responsible for eroding the office in Brussels and also opposed the establishment of an OHCHR office in Vienna (which in spite of the concerns about conflict of interest has been a fixed idea for Volker Turk).
Many member states have also expressed concerns about Nada Al Nashif’s manners and lack of expertise on human rights. Nada Al Nashif has led the (mis) management of OHCHR crisis, including firing most young colleagues hired on TJOs, favoring more expensive and less productive long term staff and the forcible relocation of staff (mainly P3 and P4s) to non existent regional offices. Volker Turk knows all this. He has allowed it for 3 years.
He is ultimately responsible for the dismal state of OHCHR but he is concern that this legacy will haunt his future. Her departure is an opportunity for member states to oversee a transparent process to prevent another crony from being appointed and also to demand access to all accounts (Kim Taylor is an expert in hiding financial information from member states). Hopefully, after Nada Al Nashif, others will also go, although staff suspect that Turk will appoint another crony." This is the UN of Guterres. The above was emailed by Inner City Press to Guterres, his spokespeople and inner circle asking for response on deadline - nothing.
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Proponents of Chinatown Jailscraper Try to Mollify Opponents with Pork Buns & Drawings
by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
CHINATOWN, Aug 7 – Many residents of NYC's Chinatown have long opposed the "jail-scraper" planned for Baxter Street.
On August 7, the jail's proponents tried to get buy-in at an event in the ornate Surrogates Courthouse on the corner of Centre and Chambers Street, handing out pork buns from Mei Lai Wah bakery (Golden Unicorn was on the program but nowhere to be seen) and displaying drawings of prisoners' meeting rooms looking like airports.
Many attendees weren't buying it. One man asked the architects how they could live with their conscience (the question was deemed too personal). Another woman noted that in current NYC jails, there are blindspots where inmates are beaten up and worse off-camera.
A mere two blocks away is the empty MCC, with its Jeffrey Epstein echo.
Previously, Inner City Press asked: How will the empty Federal jail in Lower Manhattan be used? NYC Mayor Eric Adams in 2023 floated the idea of using it to house migrants. Inner City Press asked Legal Aid about the idea, which they roundly criticized.
On June 12, then-NYC Comptroller candidate Justin Brannan campaigned in Chinatown's Confucius Plaza, two blocks from the still empty Metropolitan Correctional Center. He was asked about closing the Rikers Island jail and said he continues to favor the closure.
But, he said, the idea of reopening the MCC for state prisoners "makes a lot of sense," rather than devoting the now empty lot on Baxter Street to the so-called Chinatown Jailscraper.
Brannon lost the primary to Mark Levine, despite Brannan's endorsements from Bernie Sanders. Inner City Press has asked Zohran Mamdani about the jailscraper (YouTube here), as well as Eric Adams before him. Now, the pork buns.
Brannan in Chinatown 6/12/25by Russell Werner Lee
The event moved on to other questions, and heckling by a Brooklyn constituent who seems to follow Brannan around (to his credit, Brannan seemed to largely accept this exercise of the First Amendment). Inner City Press was there until, afterward, Brannan began a foot-tour of Chinatown.... Now to where?
Watch this site
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In NBA Fraud Case Telfair 6 Months in Prison to Start Aug 12 Amid Brooklyn Peace Job Offer
By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Video
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Aug 7 – Former NBA players Anthony Allen, Sebastian Telfair, Terrance Williams and 15 others former players were named in an indictment unsealed on October 7, 2021 for defrauding the NBA health fund, in Telfair's case, for $350,000.
Telfair nevertheless got a publicly funded lawyer. Inner City Press was there, in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrates Court and live tweeted it here and below(street video here)
On January 12, Telfair's lawyer filed a sentencing submission asking for no jail time, only probation, as he fights his New York gun case - while the UN Attorney's Office wrote it to ask for a sentence below the 15 to 21 month guideline.
On January 26, 2024, Telfair got time served: "Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Valerie E. Caproni: Sentencing held on 1/26/2024 for Sebastian Telfair (16) Count 1ss. Defendant sentenced to time-served."
On February 1, the sentencing of William Washington was thrown into disarray. He emailed Judge Caproni, then his appointed CJA lawyer wrote in that privileged materials had been provided and that he would, without directly conferring with Washington, be requesting a delay. Or a withdrawal?
On February 6, Washington wrote it seeking to fire his CJA attorney and go pro se, stating that "this step is crucial for presenting my defense." He asks for an evidentiary hearing, "deeply anchored in the foundational principles established by Brady v. Maryland."
On March 4, Judge Caproni docketed: "Dr. Washington's motion to withdraw his guilty plea or letter stating that he does not wish to withdraw his guilty plea and wishes to proceed to sentence remains due tomorrow, March 5, 2024. If Dr. Washington does not move to withdraw his guilty plea, any additional objections to the Presentence Investigation Report or supplemental submissions are due March 15, 2024, and sentencing will be held on Friday, March 29, 2024."
On March 5, William Washington pro se moved to withdraw his guilty plea, concluding that he is "prepared to proceed to trial or consider other judicial directions the Court deems appropriate."
On March 21, Judge Caproni "ORDER[ed] as to William James Washington. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that not later than March 25, 2024, the Government must file a letter providing three dates on which at least one AUSA currently assigned to this matter is available for trial before August 1, 2024 (Signed by Judge Valerie E. Caproni on 3/21/24)." That is IF the application to withdraw guilty plea is granted.
On November 13, 2023 the trial of William Bynum and Ronald Davis was winding down. Bynum was being cross examined about paying Terrence Williams $30,000. Asked if he'd stopped speaking with Terrence Williams, Bynum said only money, "I'm a positive person," still talking about basketball. Rule 29 motions were denied and one rebuttal witness' testimony trimmed but not precluded.
On November 15, the jury found both guilty "of a criminal scheme to defraud the NBA Players’ Health and Benefit Welfare Plan."
On April 16, Bynum (who submitted a letter from Andre Iguodala) was sentenced to 18 months: "WILLIAM BYNUM was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in a scheme to make false statements to the National Basketball Association (“NBA”) Players’ Health and Welfare Benefit Plan (the “Plan”). On November 15, 2023, BYNUM was found guilty of conspiring to make false statements relating to health care matters following a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni, who imposed today’s sentence."
On December 19, 2023, the US Attorney's Office wrote in that dentist Aamir Wahab is not, in fact, eligible for the zero-point offender reduction they gave - but said they will honor it. They are asking for 33 months.
Inner City Press went to the December 20 sentencing. Judge Caproni noted Wahab's prior conviction, and that he didn't need to do this crime. She told him she saw no basis to vary downward - and sentenced him to 36 months, with Southern California designation requested by his California based lawyer.
More courtroom details on Substack here
Back on September 26, 2023, Doctor William Washington flew from Seattle to New York to plead guilty before Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang. Inner City Press was there, the only media there when a rift in the plea agreement emerged. The prosecutors say the guideline is 27 to 33 months, while Washington says it's zero to six months. The differences are based on the loss numbers - which Judge Caproni will have to rule on. There is as yet no sentencing date, just December 26 (the day after Christmas) as a control date.
Back on August 26, 2022 lead defendant Williams pleaded guilty, to a plea agreement that he will not (and now cannot) appeal any sentence 145 months or less. Plea agreement on Inner City Press' DocumentCloud here.
On August 2, in advance of sentencing, the US Attorney's Office informed Judge Caproni that when Williams was arrested on October 7, 2021, "[t]wo SWAT special agents recall that a loaded mazagine was inserted into the Glock 9mm. Neither agent recalls whether the Glock had a bullet loaded in the chamber." There were three more guns.
On August 3, Inner City Press went to the sentencing. Williams got 10 years in prison. Thread.
On September 22, Judge Caproni set the schedule for the trial of remaining defendants, after she set a sentencing date for Telfair: "ORDER as to Sebastian Telfair: WHEREAS the sentencing hearing in this matter is currently scheduled for Friday, November 3, 2023; and WHEREAS this time is no longer convenient for the Court. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Mr. Telfair will be sentenced on Friday, January 26, 2024, at 2:30 P.M. in Courtroom 443 of the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, located at 40 Foley Square, New York, New York 10007. The parties' sentencing submissions are due on January 12, 2024 Status Conference as to William Bynum, Ronald Glen Davis, William Washington held on 9/22/2023. Jury Trial to begin November 1, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Defendant bail conditions continued."
Back on July 25, 2023, Anthony Allen asked for a sentencing of probation, citing philanthropy in including a meeting with (then) Senator John Kerry and Boston students. There is an exhibit of "press clippings of charitable work."
On August 8, Allen got the time served sentence: "Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Valerie E. Caproni: Sentencing held on 8/8/2023 for Anthony Allen (3) Count 1ss. Defendant Anthony Allen present with attorneys Scott Resnik, Michael Rosensaft and Ifedapo Benjamin. AUSA Ryan Finkel present. FBI Agent Michael Coughlin present. Defendant sentenced to time-served."
On April 21, 2023 there was a pre-trial conference as to William Bynum (6), Ronald Glen Davis (7), Darius Miles (11), William Washington (21). Inner City Press live tweeted it, thread here:
Counsel for William Washington: We need access to the discovery --
Judge: I have received that report from Ms. Greenwood [the Coordinating Discovery Attorney in this and other cases]
Counsel: The problem is the Merlin software.
Judge: I can't force the US to turn over the 3500 material early. You could try to turn up the charm [joke] Counsel: It's pushing into the area of being ineffective to your client. We'd like you to encourage them to produce it early.
Judge: Let's talk about the timing of the trial. There's a terrorism trial [Inner City Press is also covering it, in DDC, here] with a lot of foreign witnesses; there's a need for delay and another judge asking to be accommodated. I will. So...
AUSA: We have a root canal expert...
Judge: Nov 13. But hold Oct 30 open, depending on an Arizona case with an undercover... Expert disclosure by May 26.
On January 30, 2023, co-defendant Milton Palacios was up for sentencing. Judge Valerie E. Caproni noted that he had made, according to the public record, $4.9 million in his NBA career but now owes tax liens. She sentencing him to time served with a $20,000 fine - and a financial literacy class with a two page letter to her.
On February 15, Judge Caproni approved Palacios for travel to Puerto Rico to coach: "dated February 14, 2023 re: Travel for Employment.... For the reasons explained below, we write to respectfully request that the Court issue an order allowing Mr. Palacio to relocate to Puerto Rico so that he can commence his upcoming employment as an assistant basketball coach for the Guaynabo Mets in the Puerto Rican professional basketball league. ENDORSEMENT: Application GRANTED. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Valerie E. Caproni on 2/15/2023)."
Meanwhile this: "ORDER as to Sebastian Telfair. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that a bail review hearing is scheduled for Friday, February 17, 2023 at 11:30 A.M. The hearing will be held in Courtroom 443 of the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse, located at 40 Foley Square, New York, New York 10007. (Bail Review Hearing set for 2/17/2023 at 11:30 AM before Judge Valerie E. Caproni.) (Signed by Judge Valerie E. Caproni on 2/1/23)."
Inner City Press went to the courtroom at that time. Judge Caproni, just finished with a sentencing in the case, told Telfair, I do not want to remand you but I would. She told Telfair to be sure to comply with his conditions, including drug treatment; she noted he was already showing up for mental health treatment. She asked Telfair, What will happen if you do not comply? "You're going to put me in jail," Telfair replied. Judge Caproni nodded and wished him well.
On June 26, 2026, Telfair was sentenced to six months, on delay: "JUDGMENT IN A CRIMINAL CASE (For Revocation of Probation or Supervised Release) to Sebastian Telfair (16). The defendant admitted guilty to violation of conditions 1, 6 of the term of supervision. IMPRISONMENT: Six (6) months. The defendant shall surrender to the designated facility. If no facility is designated by then the defendant shall surrender to the USMS at SDNY at 12:00 p.m. on 8/12/2025. SUPERVISED RELEASE: Two (2) years. (Signed by Judge Valerie E. Caproni on 6/26/2025)
On August 7, 2025 Telfair's lawyer wrote in seeking to cancel or delay the prison sentencing, attaching a letter from Brooklyn USA Sports Association giving Telfair a job at $16.50 a hour to, among other things, coordinate a "peace-focused game 10 Jewish and 10 Palestinian youth playing together as one team and a similar game united Russian and Ukrainian youth."
Judge Caproni denied the motion: "The fact that Mr. Telfair has secured a full-time job and attended a single financial literacy training session on the eve of surrender, though a positive development, is nevertheless too little, too late."
Surrender date is August 12 at Fort Dix.
The case is against 18 former NBA players "for defrauding the NBA’s Health and Welfare Benefit Plan out of approximately $4,000,000." It was been assigned to SDNY District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.
Telfair walking away from photographers after court, photo by Matthew Russell Lee 10/7/21
The line up: Indictment charging TERRENCE WILLIAMS, ALAN ANDERSON, ANTHONY ALLEN, DESIREE ALLEN, SHANNON BROWN, WILLIAM BYNUM, RONALD GLEN DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER DOUGLAS-ROBERTS, a/k/a “Supreme Bey,” MELVIN ELY, JAMARIO MOON, DARIUS MILES, MILTON PALACIO, RUBEN PATTERSON, EDDIE ROBINSON, GREGORY SMITH, SEBASTIAN TELFAIR, CHARLES WATSON JR., ANTOINE WRIGHT, and ANTHONY WROTEN with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud the National Basketball Associations (“NBA’s”) Health and Welfare Benefit Plan out of nearly $4,000,000. TERRENCE WILLIAMS is also charged with aggravated identity theft in connection with the same scheme.
The case is US v. Williams, et al., 21-cr-603 (Caproni)
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Roman Storm Found Guilty of 1 of 3 Counts as No Unanimity on Other 2 Then Remand Denied
by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE, Aug 6 – Roman Storm is charged using his cryptocurrency mixed Tornado Cash to help launder money for North Korea's hackers in the Lazarus Group.
On September 6, 2023 he was arraigned before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Katherine Polk Failla. Inner City Press was there - thread
The US on July 9, 2025 filed opposition - just as in the Samouri Wallet case a letter from Senator Lummis and Wyden that cites theTornado Cash case, letter now on Patreon, with Samouri story, here.
On July 11 Inner City Press live tweeted a conference in which the US said Witness-1 only began speaking to them on July 3 and is seeking sentence reduction under Rule 35. Judge Failla will let Witness-1 testifying, but expressed doubts on venue. Thread.
On July 14 Inner City Press live tweeted jury selection.
Crypto Tornado book 1 here
On August 5 the jurors sent out notes, got an Allen charge then three options then returned with this: no unanimity on Counts 1 and 3, guilty on Count 2, conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmittal business. The AUSA then asked that Storm be remanded to jail as a flight right. Thread. Judge Failla denied that
More on X for Subscribers here and Substack here
The case is USA v. Storm, et al., 1:23-cr-430 (Failla)
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Bronx District Leader Nicole Torres Pled Down to Selling Poll Worker Jobs Now Asks No Jail
by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack
SDNY EXCLUSIVE, Aug 5 – A Republican District Leader in the 81st Assembly District in The Bronx has been indicted for accepting bribes to give out poll worker jobs, as an employee of the Board of Elections.
On August 27 at 2 pm, Nicole Torres was brought by U.S. Marshals before U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron. Inner City Press was there, the only media in the SDNY Mag court.
The Assistant US Attorney agreed to release on unsecured $50,000 bond, with a next conference before District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil set for September 10 at 3 pm. The now unsealed indictment alleged that Torres "illegally demanded payments from Bronx residents to herself and a local organization in exchange for selecting individuals as poll workers." Full indictment on Patreon here
On September 10, Torres was arraigned by Judge Vyskocil in a nearly empty courtroom. Inner City Press was there, thread
On December 9 the US Attorney's Office wrote in to cancel the December 17 appearance.
And on March 13 the US Attorney's Office submitted a joint letter to schedule a guilty plea proceeding for April 16.
Inner City Press went, thread
Judge: Are there victims in this case, and if so have they been notified? AUSA: Yes and yes. [A person emailed Inner City Press that he intends to try to speak at this hearing, we'll see]
Judge: Do you take any drugs or medications? Nicole Torres: Medical marijuana, twice a day. Judge: For anxiety? Torres: And pain. Judge: Do you wish to change your plea to guilty? Torres: I do.
Judge: You were charged in seven counts, but I understand the Government has you pleading guilty only to Counts 1 and 5, conspiracy to commit mail fraud, 18 USC 1341. And they have agreed to a sentencing guideline of 70 to 87 months
Sentencing was set for July 8.
Then sentencing was pushed back to August 19, at 2:30 pm; her Federal Defender cited her client's medical concerns and a late pre-sentencing report.
On August 5 the Federal Defender wrote in, on the guideline of 70 to 87 months, saying the request of for no prison, five years probation the first year of which would have a curfew.
More on X for Subscribers here and on Substack here
The case is USA v. Torres, 1:24-cr-499 (Vyskocil / Aaron)
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