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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 1 – While many or even most cases in the Magistrates Court of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York are sealed or have case numbers given only later, on October 1 Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox turned a single arrest into two separate proceeding, requiring the defendant Eric Cruz to fill out the same financial affidavit twice to get the same Federal Defender.

Not said in the Magistrates Court proceeding(s) was what the cases are about. There is one in the Southern District of Texas, and one in the SDNY - the SDNY is trying to take over both cases and has been given until October 3 to do it, in the afternoon since Judge Fox said he is empaneling a Grand Jury in the morning. Very transparent. And even two hours later, for both of the docket numbers given, on PACER this response: Cannot Find Case. Murky Mag Court indeed.

 On September 30: Ponzi schemer dressed in New York Giants pajama pants. James T. Booth, as is rare, did not waive the public reading of the indictment against him.

It was signed, sealed, on September 27 by Judge Robert W. Lehrburger, and describes Booth telling a widow "she would have $1 million by the time she was 100 years old." Booth swindled money from a child's college fund and for the care of a disabled sibling. He's out on his own signature, though. The case is US v. Booth, 19-cr-00699 (Koeltl).

Inner City Press will stay on the case.

SW