| US Used Visa To Lure Indian
Money Launderer To NY For Arrest But Now
Ordered Free on Bail
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Exclusive, Patreon
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- The
Source
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Dec 20 – In a court case that
remains sealed but was
witnessed by Inner City Press
on December 20, either the US
State Department or the US
Attorney for the Souther
District of New York - or both
- have erred.
The
case concerns a businessman,
an Indian citizen, alleged to
have used his electronics
company to launder money in
Colombia. Cash from that
country would be transferred
to his company which would
send electronics to Colombia
where they would be
re-converted into pesos,
seemingly clean.
The
defendant came to the US on a
student visa and stayed for
more than a decade, with a
home in Jersey, a wife and two
children. He left the country
and applied for a visa to
return, which was denied.
Meanwhile he had been the
subject of a sealed indictment
in the SDNY. So when he
applied a second time for a
visa, this time the US State
Department approved it - to
lure him back for arrest.
Then, Assistant US Attorney
Cecilia Vogel told SDNY
Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox,
in a December 21 proceeding at
which Inner City Press was the
only
media, the State
Department would cancel the
visa, upon the defendants
entry and arrest.
The
defendant entered, was
arrested, and was presented
before Judge Fox. He asked to
be released on bail. AUSA
Vogel said he would then be in
the US illegally. But, Judge
Fox pointed out, his visa on
its face said it was valid
until 2024. But it
is going to be canceled, AUSA
Vogel said. But isn't that
tying, or purporting to tie,
Magistrate Judge Fox'
hands?
Judge Fox
ordered the defendant released
on $500,000 bond, with two
co-signers and $100,000
secured. This cannot be
perfected immediately, and
AUSA Vogel said for the record
that US Attorney Geoffrey S.
Berman may appeal. But the
questions raised by this visa
will continue. Inner City
Press will remain on the
case. More on Patreon here.
***
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