| For Venezuela Laundering
With Alex Saab Through UAE Bagley Starts
Prison March 4
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC
- Guardian
UK - Honduras
- The
Source
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Jan 20 – For Venezuela money
laundering, Professor Bruce
Bagley on June 1, 2020 pleaded
guilty before U.S. District
Court for the Southern
District of New York Judge Jed
S. Rakoff.
Inner City Press
previously reported
on the case and on June 1
live tweeted. Bagley was
charged with laundering $3
million, through the UAE,
believing it to be "derived
from graft and corruption in
connection with public works
projects in Venezuela." Later,
a link to Alex Saab.
On November 16,
2021 Bagley came up for
sentencing and got six months
in prison. Inner City Press
live tweeted it here
and below.
On January
20, 2022, Bagley's surrended
date was extended without
opposition from the US: "ORDER
as to Bruce Bagley: On January
20, 2022, during a telephone
conference conducted without
transcription or recording at
which counsel for the
Government and the Defendant
were present, the Defendant
made an oral motion for a
postponement of his surrender
date from January 25, 2022 to
March 4, 2022 at 2:00. The
Defendant requested this
postponement to accommodate a
surgery and subsequent
recovery time that had to be
rescheduled due to COVID-19.
The Government did not oppose
this motion. The Court grants
Defendant's motion. The
Defendant shall surrender on
March 4, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at
the institution designated by
the Bureau of Prisons. (Signed
by Judge Jed S. Rakoff on
1/20/2022)."
From Nov 16,
2021: Bagley's lawyer: Doctor
Bagley's relationship with
"S," he didn't know about
anything criminal. He was told
by "B," I'll refer to him as
"B," he become aware of
corruption so he pled
guilty.
Judge
Rakoff: I must be getting on -
I remember Doctor Bagley
acknowledging these things at
his plea proceeding. Do you
want to withdraw your plea?
Bagley's
lawyer: He thought of Saab as
a legitimate businessman who,
yes, was also involved in
corrupt activities.
AUSA: We believe
Mr. Bagley will be able to get
medical treatment in the
Bureau of Prisons. There is a
need for general deterrence.
This is a high profile case.
This was not a crime of
passion.
Bagley's
lawyer: He's unable to void
his bladder and it's unclear
if ever will be able to. He is
a very sick man. He didn't
earn $200,000- he was on
retainer. He was a
consultant.
AUSA: He didn't
provide any consulting
services. Florida closed his
business down.
Judge Rakoff:
This debate is not material to
the sentence I am to
impose.
Bagley: I express
my regret. (Cough, cough).
About the choices I have made
that could have contributed to
harm (cough). I am an
academic, trying to understand
conditions in Latin America...
I will make amends. Thank you.
Judge Rakoff: The
guideline sentence of 46
months would be barbaric. But
there is a need for some
modest prison time, first for
general deterrence. My
sentence you to six months in
prison.
In his
change of plea proceeding
there were 3 FBI
agents.
Bagley said, I am married for
52 years and I have two
children.
Judge
Rakoff: Have you been treated
by a
psychiatrist?
Bagley: No
sir.
Bagley was
only pleading guilty to Counts
2 and 3, in exchange for Count
1 being dropped. There is a
plea agreement dated April 6.
Judge Rakoff emphasizes it
does not bind him.
Judge
Rakoff said, You face a
maximum of 40 years, and I
have received a forfeiture
order you have signed,
correct?
Bagley:
That is correct.
Judge
Rakoff: Under the letter you
have signed, the guideline is
46 to 57 months.
Bagley
allocuted: In January 2019, I
accepted a money transfer from
Alex Saab. I transferred that
to Jorge Luis Hernandez
pursuant to their request, to
disguise it. I should have
understood it was unlawful.
The
question arose: Is it enough
for Bagley to say he should
have known? ]] Judge
Rakoff said, In Anglo-American
law since 1215, unless
Congress otherwise indicates,
one has to know one is
engaging in the elements of
the crime. But it
was smoothed over, and
sentencing set for October 1.
The case is US v.
Bagley, 19-cr-765 (Rakoff).
***
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