In Other Media-eg New Statesman, AJE, FP, Georgia, NYT,  Azerbaijan, CSM Click here to contact us     .

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
Honduras - The Source - The Root - etc

SDNY COURTHOUSE, June 23 – Asa Saint Clair was questioned for wire fraud by the US authorities at 845 United Nations Plaza, for his involvement in a dubious crypto-currency called Igobit, issued through a UN-linked "inter-governmental organization" called the World Sports Alliance.

    Inner City Press has previously reported on the World Sports Alliance, including here and here and here, on Burundi.

  At the trial on March 14, 2022, an audio recording was played for the jury of St. Clair saying "there's money that went into the UN trust account...We set it up in partnership with them." So, where is the money? Inner City Press emailed UN spokesperson on the morning of March 15 for them to explain. Nothing.

On March 15, the trial continued. Inner City Press live tweeted some, here and below.

On March 17 in short order, the jury found Saint Clair guilty: "JURY VERDICT as to Asa Saint Clair (1) Guilty on Count 1s. (jbo) Set/Reset Hearings as to Asa Saint Clair: Sentencing set for 7/19/2022 at 02:30 PM before Judge P. Kevin Castel."

On March 31 Saint Clair submitted a memorandum for acquittal, insisting that WSA did have a relationship with the UN. The memo says that UN official Ziad Manmassani "merely stated that WSA did not have 'Observer Status'" and that Ann Makome "testified that WSA did not have 'Consultative Status.'" But, he says, that is "not a prerequisite to working with the UN." Apparently, as with CEFC China Energy and South South News, the payment of bribes is enough.

On June 23, Judge Castel denied all of Saint Clair's motions: "OPINION AND ORDER as to Asa Saint Clair. The Court has considered all of the arguments raised by defendant, including those not expressly addressed herein. Defendant's motions for a judgment of acquittal under Rule 29 and for a new trial under Rule 33 are DENIED. The Clerk is directed to terminate the motion (Doc 87). (Signed by Judge P. Kevin Castel on 6/23/2022)."

From the trial: In the UN-linked crypto-scam case of US v. Asa Saint Clair and "World Sports Alliance," the desperate defendant has taken the stand. He says WSA was formed by Morocco, Niger & Dominican Republic - and the United Nations.

Asa: It was formed at the UN. It was presented to the UN Secretary General. It is in the UN's ODS system.

 Asa: When I took the job at World Sports Alliance, I moved to NYC full time.... I did have some success working in African commodities. I looked at the Rabat Declaration. WSA was essentially dormant, but had documents.

Asa's lawyer: Documents from the UN? Let me show you some. Asa: Ah, yes, the Sustainable Development Goals.

 Asa: This was our quadrennial report to ECOSOC... A letter from the UN to World Sports Alliance. And this, from DESA of the UN. 

 Asa: We saw that there were mineral and mining concessions.  Asa's lawyer: What does an IGO, an inter governmental organization, have to do with mining?

Asa: Good questions! These poor countries can't pay us, so we work on in-ground assets. The UN...

 Asa is back, after jury took it's break. Asa Saint Clair: I wrote a chapter of a book, about crypto currency and public trust... I was asked to write about, What is it that is making people like crypto currency. My answer: people don't trust, after 2008.

 Asa: For our crypto currency, we needed a marquee partner. [And that would be the United Nations, a facilitator of this fraud which now won't answer any questions, actively bans them]

  On March 16, after both sides rested after the US crossed Saint Clair (and Inner City Press asked the UN for "comment on the March 16 showing that Saint Clair told Bangladesh's Foreign Minister in 2019 that World Sports Alliance is a 'UN partner'), the jury got its final instructions on the law and will begin to deliberate.

Watch this site.

 Back on November 23, 2021 Saint Clair's lawyer wrote to the Court to say "it has come to my attention that some of the witnesses whom Mr. Saint Clair wishes to call to testify at the trial will not be in the United States between January 10, 2022 and February 7, 2022 and cannot testify then. Accordingly, I respectfully ask that the Court not adjourn the case for trial before February 7, 2020."

 On December 2 Judge P. Kevin Castel ordered: "as to Asa Saint Clair: The case is set for trial on March 9, 2022 at 9:30 AM as first back-up trial to 19 Cr. 828 (ALC). (Jury Trial set for 3/9/2022 at 09:30 AM before Judge P. Kevin Castel) (Signed by Judge P. Kevin Castel."

  Given this case's links to the UN, and the UN widespread criminality from the bribery proven in the SDNY in the Ng Lap Seng and Patrick Ho cases, and the near-daily revelation of sex abuse by UN peacekeepers, one can't help wondering of some of these traveling witnesses are not UN officials "on mission." We'll see. Watch this site.

  On November 12, 2021, the US filed motions in limine noting that while in detention in the MCC he told his wife Jennifer Roberts by phone he used funds loaned to WSA to "pa[y] my personal expenses," adding, "that's what's you do."

Saint Clair also previously settled with FINRA for misleading communications while he was with Century Pacific Securities, Inc. The US wants the jury to hear that. The US notes that WSA "purports to be an intergovernmental organization affiliated with the UN." Today's UN is corrupt.

On November 30, St. Clair submitted an argument that his MDC jail house calls, on which he was warned that recording would take place, were nonetheless confidential and privileged. The argument? The spousal privilege should be treated like attorney-client.

Jump cut to March 10 and 11, with Asa St. Clair on trial in the SDNY. Inner City Press covered it. A witness was teed up with immunity (Anthony Tijero).

  Notably, Tijero tweets a photo with the UN Secretary General, here.

 Juror 7 was replaced as the family dog was being put down. Morocco was identified as the initial and main sponsor of the scan IGO World Sports Alliance, with King Mohammed named. There was an ECOSOC witness on whom we will have more.

    Back on October 23, 2019 past 6 pm Inner City Press was in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrates Court when Asa Saint Clair was brought into the court in shackles. He was arrested in California trying to get on a plane to Madagascar by way of Paris. More on Patreon here.

  On April 30 Inner City Press covered that next Saint Clair proceeding, which he did not attend due to Coronavirus. His lawyer John Buza, no longer the Federal Defenders, said his client couldn't fly and asked for more time. It was granted, until July 16.

  But just before that, on July 8, Buza made a third request for adjournment, saying the Asa Saint Clair was in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was pushed to September 21, a day when the corrupt(ed) UN began its UNGA week. Then it was pushed back again to December 11, and an overbroad protective order was filed.

On December 11, Judge Castel held another proceeding, and Inner City Press again covered. The AUSA acknowledged that it got more than just the defendant's emails in response to a subpoena. It intends to re-file to get the rest. The next date was pushed back to March, with Federal Defenders out and John Buza in.

 On March 26, 2021, Judge Castel held another proceeding, and Inner City Press again covered it. The AUSA disclosed in the proceeding that discovery is ongoing has more witnesses are coming forward; the Western District of Washington was mentioned, and an audio recording.

On April 23 Asa Saint Clair's counsel filed a motion to suppress, citing the warrant to search 845 UN Plaza, Apartment 43B, his home. It's Trump World Tower, where for example UN briber Patrick Ho of CEFC China Energy also had an apartment. Nothing has been done to clean up the UN across the street. Just attempts to suppress.

On June 1, Saint Clair's lawyer wrote that "the warrant states that Mr. Saint Clair 'accepted' service of the subpoena, but that it curiously mentions that 'WSA' responded to the subpoena with documents that they allege could be fraudulent based on statements made by the Central African Republic, one of the most corrupt countries in the world."

On July 20, motion denied: "OPINION AND ORDER [29] Motion to Suppress as to Asa Saint Clair. Defendant Asa Saint Clair moves to suppress evidence seized during a search of an apartment where he worked and resided on grounds that the information supporting probable cause for the warrant was stale at the time that it was issued. Defendant further urges that if the warrant was in fact stale and lacked probable cause, that the good faith exception is inapplicable and therefore the evidence recovered from the premises should be suppressed. Defendant's motion to suppress the evidence recovered pursuant to the Warrant to search the Subject Premises is DENIED."

  The order recounts the warrant for 845 UN Plaza, Apt. 43B, and WSA's claim to use diplomacy.

On July 26 Judge Castel held another proceeding, again covered by Inner City Press, after which this: "Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge P. Kevin Castel: Telephone Conference as to Asa Saint Clair held on 7/26/2021. Defendant waives physical appearance and is present by videoconference with his attorney, John Buza. AUSAs Emily Deininger, Kiersten Fletcher and Tara LaMorte, present. Court Reporter: Alena Lynch. Law Clerk: Garrett Gerber. Government shall file requests to charge, proposed voir dire, Rule 404(b) evidence, and motions in limine by November 12, 2021. Defendant shall file responses and objections, motions in limine, and any requests to charge or proposed voir dire by November 30, 2021. The government may reply by December 9, 2021. The government to make 3500 material available 7 days prior to the start of trial. The final pretrial conference is scheduled for December 15, 2021 at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 11D. Time is excluded until December 15, 2021."

Inner City Press will continue to cover this and other instances of corruption in and around the UN.

   Despite telling the government he was making $50,000 a month, he was given a publicly funded Federal Defender lawyer, who argued he should be immediately released.

     He still may be. Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman on October 23 rejected the AUSA's request to limit his use of electronic devices and called for Pre Trial Services to inspect the home in Arizona to which Saint Clair and his wife say that they are moving.

 Inner City Press will continue on these cases. This one is US v. Saint Clair, 19-cr-790 (Castel). Watch this site.