Accused Trading Desk Insider Trader Now Hires Counsel After Was Arraigned in SDNY

Accused Trading Desk Insider Trader Now Hires Counsel After Was Arraigned in SDNY by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE, Sept 8 – When Jesse Mitchell, the former finance director for California-based online advertising company The Trading Desk, was indicted for insider trading and arrested on August 20, DOJ put out a press release and media, at least in Venture County, covered it.   But when Mitchell showed up in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on August 31, Inner City Press was the only media there. First in the Magistrates Court, where the Federal Defender explained Mitchell intends to retain private counsel by the end of the week, then up before the assigned District Judge where he pled not guilty, there was no one else there.    Mitchell was dressed informally, and had a white plastic shopping bag on the table next to him. Up before District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden, the question arose of whether he was "effectively unrepresented" or could nevertheless be arraigned. He was, and pled not guilty. A control date of September 22 - the first day of the UN General Assembly week speeches, when midtown will be full of heads of state - was set, and Speedy Trial Act time excluded until then. On September 8 - as the first part of the UNGA session began - Mitchell had a notice of appearance filed: NOTICE OF ATTORNEY APPEARANCE: Michael Angelo Baldassare appearing for Jesse Mitchell. Appearance Type: Retained. (Baldassare, Michael) Inner City Press will be following the case. The case is USA v. Mitchell, 1:26-cr-361 (Rearden) *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com