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

SDNY COURTHOUSE, July 26 – 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.

    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.