| Freeman
Facing Trial on Fraud Testifies Asking For
Bail Amid US Money For Ghana Cars
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Oct 20 – Celvin Freeman,
originally from Ghana, is
charged with a series of
frauds against individuals and
business. He asked to suppress
his statements to law
enforcement.
On August
17, U.S. District Court for
the Southern District of New
York Judge Jed S. Rakoff held
an oral argument. Inner City
Press covered it.
Freeman's
lawyer noted that those who
interrogated him told him it
was up to him to advocate for
himself, and that whoever
cooperated first would get the
best deal.
The
Assistant US Attorney said the
"advocacy" language had been
about cutting the first deal,
not giving up the right to a
lawyer.
Judge Rakoff took
the issued under advisement,
with the trial penciled in for
November 8 pending the SDNY
Committee.
On October 20,
Freeman again argued for
release on bond, even
testifying under oath as to
immigration and certain other
issues. Judge Rakoff
acknowledged that he could
still invoke the Fifth
Amendment, but inquired into
whether it was credible
Freeman was getting wires of
money from in the US and
sending cars to Ghana.
Freeman's able
counsel said that he didn't
know the other co-defendants
and was fixing up accident
cars bought at auction. But
didn't he find it strange,
these wires from unrelated US
businesses (and, it seems,
victims of romance scams and
other frauds)? Judge Rakoff
took this under advisement.
The case is US v.
Freeman, 21-cr-88
(Rakoff)
***
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