SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 9 – Joshua Wander, the Miami-based co-founder of 777 Partners, the private investment firm that backed European soccer clubs and the Australian start-up airline Bonza, is charged in the Southern District of New York with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and securities fraud (United States v. Wander, 25-cr-473, Judge J. Paul Oetken). On October 9 his final pre-trial conference was held. Inner City Press live tweeted, here:
All
rise!
Judge Oekten: Was any plea offer made?
AUSA Rothman: Yes, in writing, to one count. It was not
accepted and has expired.
Defense lawyer Estes: Mr. Wander lives in Miami, we ask
the trial not sit on Friday.
Judge: Maybe half day Friday
Judge
Oektken:
I will qualify 36 prospective jurors, to arrive at four
alternates.
Defense Estes: Your Honor, how do you do the
peremptories? I know I've done a trial before you [she
was an SDNY prosecutor] but I need a refresher.
Judge Oetken: Back & forth is OK
Judge
Oetken:
Anything else?
Wander's 2d laywer Samuel Raymond, also of Gibson Dunn:
He submitted a letter to the Court last Friday.
AUSA Rothman: We'll want to respond... He is trying to
smuggle in arguments.
AUSA
Rothman: He has already purchased many soccer teams
Defense's Estes: What about the Everton deal? I was
expecting the Government to raise it.
AUSA
Rothman: We will not be talking about Mister Love as
quote unquote general counsel of Sun Park - there has
been no waive of attorney client privilege.
Wander's Estes: He might be shown to be deep in the
weeds - that as an attorney he didn't say stop, it's in
AUSA
Rothman: Mr. Love's lawyer says if called, he'd invoke
[his Fifth Amendment rights]
Judge Oetken: Not in front of the jury. I won't let an
advice of counsel defense to sneak in. The Government
does not want to picture with his son to come in
Judge
Oetken:
The US wants to get in Mr. Wander's 2004 conviction for
possession of drug paraphernalia - I'll reserve to see
if Mr. Wander raised that he wasn't the signatory on a
bank account.
AUSA Rothman: It's a big of a deal as the defense wants
to make it
Judge
Oetken:
I'd like the Government to stay away from the lavish
spending-
AUSA Rothman: Except for the soccer teams and airlines,
right?
Judge: Right. And the US witness who counterfeited $20
bills - will that come in?
The indictment unsealed in October 2025
alleges that Wander and others defrauded 777's private
lenders and investors of more than $500 million.
Prosecutors say the scheme involved pledging collateral
the firm did not own or had already pledged elsewhere,
falsifying bank statements, and misrepresenting 777's
finances. They put the totals at more than $350 million in
borrowing, about $25 million from a fourth lender, and
more than $100 million from investors who bought preferred
equity in 2021 and 2022. A London court wound up 777 in
October 2024. The SEC has filed a parallel civil case
against Wander, co-founder Steven Pasko, and the firm. The
firm's former CFO, Damien Alfalla, has pleaded guilty and
is cooperating with the government. A superseding
indictment in July 2026 now charges six counts, to which
Wander pleaded not guilty on July 30.
He was offered a one-count plea but rejected it.
Now the trial.