To Charge
Zhao As Launderer US DEA Did Its Own
Transactions Now Kung Trial Into 2023
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- ESPN
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
August 11 – Chaoyue Zhao and
Brian Kung are charged with
money
laundering.
On September 20 U.S. District
Court for the Southern
District of New York Judge
Lewis J. Liman held a
proceeding. Inner City Press
covered it.
Earlier in the
year the US Attorney's Office
said "this is a case in which
the DEA obtained what is
called Attorney General exempt
authorization to actually
conduct certain
money-laundering transactions
to develop evidence... Many of
the bank accounts were located
in New York."
Judge Liman
set the case down for trial in
April 2022.
On July 8, the US
Attorney's Office wrote in to
say Zhao will plead guilty on
July 19, and Kung is in
negotiations.
Zhao did in fact
plead guilty on July 19, with
sentencing set for November 2:
"Chaoyue Zhao withdraws
previous plea of Not Guilty
and enters a plea of Guilty to
Count 1 of indictment. Plea
Agreement - Court Exhibit #1.
Defendant's bail continued,
conditions of release to
remain as previously set
pending sentencing. PSI
ordered, interview must be
held with defense counsel
present. Sentencing set for
November 2, 2022 at 12:00PM in
Courtroom 15C before Judge
Lewis J. Liman."
On January 31,
2022 Inner City Press was
covering the SDNY Magistrates
Court when co-defendant Brian
Kung was brought in. He was
wearing an MSA Spartans
sweatshirt and was assigned
the CJA lawyer on duty, who
had just consented to a man on
methadone's detention.
On August 11, the
trial was pushed back into
2023: "MEMO ENDORSEMENT as to
Brian Kung (2) granting [61]
LETTER MOTION addressed to
Judge Lewis J. Liman from USA
dated August 10, 2022 re:
Adjournment of Trial Date and
Motions Schedule. ENDORSEMENT:
REQUEST GRANTED. The Jury
Trial previously set for
September 12, 2022 is
RESCHEDULED to January 30,
2023 at 9:00AM in Courtroom
15C."
It is US v. Zhao,
et al., 20-cr-129 (Liman)
***
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