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☆ SEC sues entrepreneur, alleging $1 billion in unregistered crypto sales and multimillion-dollar fraud
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The SEC alleged he touted the investments as a "pathway to grandiose wealth." But the SEC alleged that the 38% annual return that Schueler touted was nothing more than cover for an elaborate scheme. Schueler faces three charges of securities fraud in civil court. Schueler misappropriated at least $12 million of investor funds, the SEC alleged, to purchase a 555-carat black diamond, high-end vehicles, and luxury watches. A $550,000 Rolex Daytona, an $800,000 Rolex GMT Master II and another unspecified $1.38 million Rolex watch were among his watch purchases, the SEC said.

Persons: Gary Gensler, Richard Schueler, Richard Heart, Schueler, pare Organizations: SEC, U.S . Treasury, The Securities, Exchange Commission, Rolex, of Locations: Washington ,, United States, Finland, Eastern, of New York

☆ Restaurateur Who Paid Off New York Politicians Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Karen Zraick | More About Karen Zraick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A Long Island restaurateur who was a key witness in a public corruption investigation was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday, ending an episode that churned up allegations of endemic wrongdoing that stretched across New York City and one of its most populous suburban areas. He testified for 17 days in two trials against Mr. Mangano, who is now serving 12 years in prison. On Wednesday, Judge Joan M. Azrack of the Eastern District of New York called Mr. Singh “a master of pay to play.” But she credited his help to prosecutors, which revealed a dark nexus of politics and business. “The extent and nature of his cooperation is possibly unmatched by any defendant in a corruption investigation,” Judge Azrack said. She also noted Mr. Singh’s age and health problems, as well as the support of his family, commending him for raising three successful sons.

Persons: Harendra Singh, Edward P, Mangano, Joan M, Singh “, ” Judge Azrack, Ruby Organizations: of Locations: New York City, Nassau County, Eastern, of New York

☆ Democrats Reach Milestone: 100 New District Court Judges
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden and Democrats, largely stymied by Republicans from enacting their policy agenda, have transformed the Senate into a judicial confirmation factory that has just passed a major milestone in its drive to remake the federal courts, approving the 100th District Court nominee since Mr. Biden took office. The pace of the effort has surpassed the one set by Republicans when they pushed to reshape the courts during the administration of former President Donald J. Trump, putting the Biden administration 20 District Court nominees ahead of the Trump team at the same point in his term. “These judges will affect America long after just about every senator is out of here,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat and majority leader, who has had a longtime interest in judicial confirmations. It’s hard.”Despite being slowed by absences and resistance from Republicans who see some Biden nominees as unacceptable, the Democrat-led Senate hit the 100 mark last week with a 50-49 vote to confirm Natasha Merle to a seat in the Eastern District of New York. She was one of a string of newly confirmed judges with civil rights backgrounds whose nominations had been slow to reach the floor given concerted Republican opposition.

Persons: Biden, Donald J, ”, Chuck Schumer, Natasha Merle Organizations: Democrats, Republicans, Trump, Biden, New York Democrat, Democrat, Senate, of Locations: America, Eastern, of New York

☆ Publishers Clearing House Pays $18.5 Million in ‘Dark Patterns’ Suit
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( J. Edward Moreno | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The NewsPublishers Clearing House, the direct marketing company that uses sweepstakes to sell magazine subscriptions, agreed on Monday to pay $18.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission, which accused the company of using what’s known as dark patterns to trick customers into paying for products or giving up their data. The company is also accused of charging customers hidden fees during purchases, sending deceptive marketing emails and misleading customers about how their data was being used. On top of paying $18.5 million, which the F.T.C. said it would use to refund customers, the company agreed to adjust its interface to prevent more confusion. Publishers Clearing House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Organizations: News Publishers Clearing House, Federal Trade Commission, Eastern, of Locations: U.S, of New York

☆ U.S. files first-ever charges against Chinese fentanyl manufacturers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. Justice Department on Friday filed criminal charges against four Chinese chemical manufacturing companies and eight individuals over allegations they illegally trafficked the chemicals used to make fentanyl — a highly addictive painkiller that has fueled the opioid crisis in the United States. The indictments mark the first time the U.S. has sought to prosecute any of the Chinese companies responsible for manufacturing precursor chemicals used to make the painkiller. Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu condemned the move as "a well-planned entrapment operation by the U.S. side, which seriously infringed upon the legitimate rights of relevant enterprises and individuals." He said such "long-arm jurisdiction" would create more obstacles for China-U.S. counter-narcotics cooperation. The move came after Antony Blinken made the first visit to China by a U.S. Secretary of State in five years and said he had made clear that Washington needs much greater Chinese cooperation to stem the flow of fentanyl.

Persons: General Merrick Garland, Lisa Monaco, Robert F, Kennedy, Liu Pengyu, Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping Organizations: Attorney, Eastern, of, U.S, U.S . Justice, Embassy Locations: of New York, Washington ,, United States, China, U.S, Washington

The indictments mark the first time the U.S. has sought to prosecute any of the Chinese companies responsible for manufacturing precursor chemicals used to make the painkiller. The companies at the heart of the three separate indictments are accused of selling precursor chemicals to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, which in turn has flooded the U.S. with the drug. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan announced the unsealing of an indictment against the China-based chemical company Hubei Amarvel Biotech, along with its executives Qingzhou Wang, 35, Yiyi Chen, 31, and Fnu Lnu, also known as Er Yang, with fentanyl trafficking, precursor chemical importation, and money laundering offenses. "Fentanyl poses a singular threat, not only because the smallest doses can be lethal, but because fentanyl does not occur in nature. In the Eastern District of New York, prosecutors announced the unsealing of two more indictments against three other Chinese companies and individuals accused of conspiring to manufacture and distribute fentanyl in the U.S.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Qingzhou Wang, Yiyi Chen, Fnu Lnu, Er Yang, Joaquin, El, Guzman, Lisa Monaco, Blinken, Wang, Chen, Yang, Sarah N, Lynch, Luc Cohen, David Brunnstrom, Chizu Nomiyama, Angus MacSwan Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S . Justice, U.S, Hubei Amarvel Biotech, Justice Department, Embassy, Global Coalition, Administration, of, U.S . Prosecutors, Hebei Sinaloa Trading, Thomson Locations: United States, China, Washington, Sinaloa, Mexico, Manhattan, Hubei, cryptocurrency, Los Angeles, Honolulu , Hawaii, New York, of New York, Hebei Sinaloa, U.S

☆ Who Bailed George Santos Out? Court Is Set to Reveal the Mystery.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Michael Gold | Grace Ashford | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Of the many questions that surround Representative George Santos, one has recently taken center stage: Who guaranteed the $500,000 bond that allowed him to be released from federal custody last month? Mr. Santos, 34, and his lawyer have for weeks attempted to thwart efforts to make public the names of his guarantors, at one point claiming to the court that Mr. Santos — who awaits trial on 13 federal criminal charges — would rather go to jail than have them revealed and subjected to public scrutiny. But the mystery surrounding Mr. Santos’s bond is expected to be resolved at noon Thursday, after a federal judge in the Eastern District of New York dismissed his appeal to keep the names sealed. Some of the wilder theories about the source of the bail funds were seemingly put to rest. In court filings opposing the disclosure of the so-called sureties, Mr. Santos’s lawyer, Joseph Murray, all but declared that Mr. Santos’s guarantors were relatives.

Persons: George Santos, Santos, Santos —, —, Santos’s, wilder, Joseph Murray, Santos’s guarantors Organizations: of New York Locations: Eastern

☆ Adani Group statements to investors draw US regulatory scrutiny, Bloomberg reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 22 (Reuters) - The U.S Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, New York, has sent inquiries in recent months to investors with large holdings in Adani Group, focused on what the Indian ports-to-power giant told them, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also has a similar probe underway, Bloomberg reported, citing two people familiar with the matter. The authorities are looking into the representations that Adani made to its American investors following short-seller Hindenburg's report, the Bloomberg report said. India's markets watchdog in May had "drawn a blank" in investigations into suspected violations in overseas investments in the Adani group and a Supreme Court-appointed panel said its ongoing pursuit of the case could be a "journey without a destination". Adani Group and the U.S. Attorney General's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Adani, General's, Chandni Shah, Maju Samuel Organizations: U.S Attorney's, Adani Group, Bloomberg, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Hindenburg Research, SEC, Eastern, of New York U.S, Attorney’s, Adani, U.S, Thomson Locations: Brooklyn , New York, Bengaluru

☆ Rep. George Santos' mystery bail backers to be revealed at noon
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Rep. George Santos leaves the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Central Islip, New York, May 10, 2023. The secret identities of Republican Rep. George Santos' bail backers in his federal criminal case are set to be revealed Thursday at noon ET. "That risk is further heightened by the fact that the very crimes Rep. Santos has been charged with involve abusing the political process for personal gain," the Times noted. A consortium of news outlets, including NBC News, followed suit, arguing, "Rep. Santos cannot overcome the presumption of openness" afforded by the First Amendment and federal common law. The judge noted that Santos can move to modify the conditions of his bail if his remaining guarantors decide to back out.

Persons: George Santos, Santos, Joanna Seybert, Joseph Murray, Murray, Seybert, Republican Party's Organizations: Rep, Eastern, of, Republican Rep, Santos, The New York Times, U.S, Times, NBC, Justice Department, Republican, NBC News, CNBC Locations: U.S, of New York, Central Islip , New York, New York, NBCUniversal

☆ Senate confirms Biden judicial nominee after Harris breaks deadlock
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Andrew Goudsward | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - Vice President Kamala Harris broke a deadlock in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday to secure confirmation for a civil rights lawyer nominated to be a federal judge in New York. The final vote was 50-49, but Harris was needed to break a 50-50 tie in an earlier procedural vote on the nomination. The vote marked the fourth time in recent weeks that Manchin has opposed one of President Joe Biden’s judicial picks. Merle is the 100th district court nominee selected by Biden to secure Senate confirmation and is the latest in a string of civil rights lawyers to be confirmed to the federal bench this month. She previously served as a federal public defender in New York and worked on a fellowship for a New York law firm.

Persons: Kamala Harris, Natasha Merle, Harris, Joe Manchin, Merle, Manchin, Joe Biden’s, Biden, Kirsten Gillibrand, litigator ”, Mitch McConnell, “, ” McConnell, Andrew Goudsward Organizations: Reuters, U.S . Senate, NAACP Legal Defense, Educational Fund, U.S, Eastern, of, New York Democrat, Republican, New, Thomson Locations: U.S, New York, of New York, Brooklyn, West Virginia

June 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday narrowly confirmed civil rights lawyer Nusrat Choudhury to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, making her the first Bangladeshi-American and female Muslim federal judge in the United States. Choudhury, the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Illinois, was confirmed on a 50-49 vote. She will also be the first Bangladeshi-American federal judge. Biden also appointed the first Muslim judge in U.S. history, U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi. The Senate confirmed him to the New Jersey federal trial court in 2021.

Persons: Nusrat Choudhury, Choudhury, Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, litigator, Biden, Zahid Quraishi, Jacqueline Thomsen, David Bario, Aurora Ellis Organizations: U.S, Senate, Eastern, of, American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU, Top, Republicans, Princeton University, Southern District of, Appeals, Thomson Locations: of New York, United States, Illinois, Southern District, Southern District of New York, New York , Connecticut, Vermont, New Jersey, Washington

☆ George Santos says the people backing up his bond are family members who will bail on him if their names are publicly released
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Kelly Mclaughlin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Santos' lawyer asked a federal judge not to release the names of the people backing Santos' bond. Santos' lawyer says family members would likely abandon Santos if their names are made public. In a court filing in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, attorney Joseph Murray asked District Court Judge Joanna Seybert to block the names of Santos' guarantors from being released. Murray said that Santos and his staff have faced a "media frenzy and hateful attacks" since Santos was indicted. Insider is among a coalition of news organizations seeking the names of the bond suretors.

Persons: Santos, —, George Santos, representative's, Joseph Murray, Joanna Seybert, Anne Shields —, Santos —, Defendant, Murray, Seybert Organizations: Service, Court, Eastern, of, Prosecutors Locations: of New York

☆ A federal judge says she'll reveal who is backing George Santos' bond, but she's giving the GOP lawmaker one last chance to appeal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Kelly Mclaughlin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A federal judge plans to release the names of the people who backed George Santos' bond. She said she's giving Santos until noon Friday to appeal her decision. Santos' lawyer begged the judge not to identify his guarantors in a letter on Monday. Shields said Santos and his lawyers have until noon on Friday to appeal her ruling. In a letter to Shields on Monday, Santos, through his lawyer Joseph Murray, begged the judge not to identify his guarantors.

Persons: George Santos, she's, Santos, —, Anne Shields, Shields, Joseph Murray, Murray Organizations: Service, GOP, Court, Eastern, of, Prosecutors Locations: Santos, of New York

☆ A judge reportedly held a secret hearing with the 3 anonymous people sponsoring George Santos's $500,000 bail
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A court filing said a judge held sealed court hearings with them to keep their identities secret. In a letter filed to court Wednesday, Dana R. Green, a lawyer for The New York Times, said the court held another secret hearing with the sponsors. It's unclear whether the hearing was overseen by Shields or US District Judge Joanna Seybert, to whom Santos's case has since been assigned. After a group of news organizations — including Insider — asked the judge to unseal their names, arguing they were in the public interest, the judge ultimately made the names public. Unlike in the Bankman-Fried case, there's no public record that Santos's attorney asked for the bail-sponsor names to remain sealed.

☆ Fact Check-Image is not authentic George Santos mug shot
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A cropped photograph of U.S. Representative George Santos taken in the Capitol in 2021 has been shared with the false claim that it is a mug shot of the newly-indicted Republican. The original image captured in January 2021 by photographer Tom Williams shows Santos walking down a hallway in the U.S. Capitol Building (here). Attorneys' Offices, Eastern District of New York, told Reuters that no mug shot was released, adding that the release of mug shots is against Department of Justice policy “unless there’s some larger public safety need, like an ongoing manhunt” (bit.ly/41DGRqE). A spokesperson for Santos’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The photograph was taken while Santos was walking down a hallway in the U.S. Capitol Building in January 2021.

NEW YORK, May 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Representative George Santos on Wednesday vowed to fight charges of fraud, money laundering and theft of public funds in the latest hit to the newly elected Republican, who has resisted calls to resign for lying about his resume. "I'm going to fight my battle. I'm going to deliver. I'm going to fight the witch hunt. Santos was released on a $500,000 bond and is due back in court for his next appearance on June 30.

A 13-count federal indictment charges Santos, 34, with defrauding prospective political supporters by laundering funds to pay for his personal expenses and illegally receiving unemployment benefits while he was employed. It also accuses him of making false statements to the House of Representatives about his assets, income and liabilities. Santos was released on a $500,000 bond and is due back in court for his next appearance on June 30. Nine House Republicans have so far called on Santos to resign, including six from his home state of New York. Among other claims, Santos said he had degrees from New York University and Baruch College despite neither institution's having any record of his attending.

NEW YORK, May 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Representative George Santos was arrested on Wednesday on federal charges of fraud, money laundering and theft of public funds in the latest hit to the newly elected Republican, who has resisted calls to resign for lying about his resume. The 13-count indictment, unsealed on Wednesday, charges Santos, 34, with defrauding prospective political supporters by laundering funds to pay for his personal expenses and illegally receiving unemployment benefits while he was employed. He is also accused of making false statements to the House of Representatives about his assets, income and liabilities. Nine House Republicans have so far called on Santos to resign, including six from his home state of New York. Among other claims, Santos said he had degrees from New York University and Baruch College despite neither institution's having any record of his attending.

Details of the case against Mr. Santos remain under seal, and the charges against him will not be revealed until later on Wednesday. A spokeswoman in Washington referred all questions to Mr. Santos’s lawyer, who did not respond to requests for comment. But for months, Mr. Santos has denied any criminal wrongdoing, even as he has admitted to lying about going to college and working for prestigious Wall Street firms. It is not yet clear whether Mr. Santos will lodge a plea or if he will be asked to do so in a subsequent hearing. Court records show that Mr. Santos spent nearly $700 using a stolen checkbook and a false name at a store near Rio de Janeiro.

Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., was charged by federal prosecutors with an array of crimes, including fraud, theft, money laundering and making false statements. Santos faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the top charges against him, according to the Justice Department. In forms he filled out for his 2020 campaign, Santos failed to report more than $25,000 in income from the investment firm where he worked, the indictment alleged. In his 2022 campaign, Santos allegedly falsely reported earning $750,000 in salary and between $1 million and $5 million in dividends from his company, the Devolder Organization. A growing number of Santos' fellow Republicans urged him to step down, even before the federal charges against him first came to light.

☆ The George Santos Indictment, Annotated
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Rebecca Davis O Brien | Michael Gold | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Federal prosecutors unsealed an indictment on Wednesday charging Representative George Santos of New York with 13 counts, including counts of money laundering, stealing public money, wire fraud and making false statements to Congress. 7 counts Wire fraud Related to a fraudulent political contribution solicitation scheme and an unemployment insurance fraud scheme. 3 counts Money laundering Related to the fraudulent political contribution solicitation scheme. 1 count Theft of public funds Related to the unemployment insurance fraud scheme. Read the George Santos Indictment › 20 pages A list of charges against George Santos.

But for months, Mr. Santos has denied any criminal wrongdoing, even as he has admitted to lying about going to college and working for prestigious Wall Street firms. When he appears before a judge on Wednesday, Mr. Santos will hear the government’s case against him. Shortly thereafter, prosecutors will argue for the terms of release they believe to be appropriate to ensure that Mr. Santos returns to court. It is not yet clear whether Mr. Santos will lodge a plea or if he will be asked to do so in a subsequent hearing. Court records show that Mr. Santos spent nearly $700 using a stolen checkbook and a false name at a store near Rio de Janeiro.

☆ GOP Rep. George Santos has been charged by the Justice Department
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Kevin Breuninger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Scandal-plagued Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., has been criminally charged by the Department of Justice, NBC News reported Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. One source told NBC that Santos could surrender in court in Long Island, New York, as early as Wednesday. Before being sworn into office, Santos admitted that he had "embellished" his education credentials and his work experience. Rep. Mike Lawler, a fellow GOP freshman from New York, gave NBC a one-word reaction to the reported charges against Santos: "Resign." Some polls have found that voters in Santos' district view him overwhelmingly unfavorably across party lines.

☆ Embattled Republican Rep. George Santos to face federal charges -CNN
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Santos is expected to appear as soon as Wednesday in federal court in New York's Eastern District, where charges have been filed under seal, CNN reported. The Associated Press reported that in a brief phone interview Santos said he was unaware of the charges. Santos' office did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and his lawyer could not immediately be reached. CNN reported that the exact nature of the charges against Santos were not immediately clear. Santos' office, through his congressional Twitter account, has previously said he is cooperating with the House Ethics Committee's investigation.

☆ An American Airlines mechanic was convicted of trying to smuggle $320,000 worth of cocaine by hiding it under the cockpit of a plane
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

An American Airlines mechanic was convicted of smuggling cocaine, prosecutors said Tuesday. Paul Belloisi kept 10 bricks of cocaine in a compartment underneath the plane's cockpit, they said. Paul Belloisi, 55, who worked at John F. Kennedy Airport for around 3o years, was convicted of conspiring to possess cocaine, conspiring to import cocaine, and importing cocaine, the release said. Prosecutors said that Belloisi tried to smuggle the drugs — worth as much as $320,000 — on a flight that landed in New York from Jamaica on February 4. Customs and Border Patrol officers first discovered 10 bricks of cocaine that weighed more than 25 pounds hidden inside an electronics compartment on the underside of the American Airlines plane, the press release said.

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