SDNY COURTHOUSE,
May 13 - In the Lev Parnas and
Andrey Kukushkin jury trial,
the first witnesses testified
on the afternoon of October
13, 2021. Inner City Press
live tweeted it here
and here.
Vlog here.
They were found guilty,
along with a partial mistrial.
On May 13
Kukushkin's lawyers at
Clifford Chance filed a letter
with Judge
J. Paul Oetken
asking for his
surrender date
to be pushed
from June 2 to
July 1 to make
a motion for
bail pending
appeal to the
Second
Circuit.
On
March 10, Parnas' lawyer filed
this: "LETTER MOTION addressed
to Judge J. Paul Oetken from
Joseph A. Bondy dated March
10, 2022 re: Scheduling a
Change of Plea Hearing for
Count Seven of the First
Superseding Indictment, and to
Appear via Video or
Teleconference . Document
filed by Lev Parnas. (Bondy,
Joseph)."
On March
16, Judge J. Paul Oetken set
Parnas' guilty plea for March
25: "MEMO ENDORSED granting
[316] LETTER MOTION Exclusion
of Time as to Lev Parnas
(1)... ENDORSEMENT: Granted. A
change-of-plea hearing is
hereby scheduled for March 25,
2022."
On March 25,
Parnas did in fact plead
guilty. Inner City Press live
tweeted it, here:
OK - now Lev
Parnas set to plead guilty to
Fraud Guaranty scheme.
Judge Oetken:
What do you take? Parnas: Pain
and anxiety medication. Judge:
You feel OK? Parnas: Yes.
Judge: You know you have the
right to a speedy trial on
this charge?
Parnas: Yes. [He
was convicted, at trial, on
other counts]
Judge
Oetken: So there's no plea
agreement you. You're just
pleading to the indictment? A:
Yes. AUSA: The defendant was
convicted of six other counts.
We take no position on the
grouping or how they interact.
Judge
Oetken: Tell me what you did.
Parnas: I agreed with another
person to give false
information to others about
Fraud Guaranty. I used wires.
I am sorry. Judge: Thank you.
Mr. Roos, is that adequate?
AUSA Roos: I
proffer that the
representations were material.
Judge
Oetken: June 29, 11 am
for sentencing. I expect in
Courtroom 706 here in 40 Foley
Square. Adjourned.
On March 14 amid
Ukraine war (that the UN said
to not call a war), this: "the
unsealing of an indictment
against ANDREY MURAVIEV, a/k/a
“Andrey Muravyov,” a Russian
citizen, charging him with
making illegal political
contributions as a foreign
national, and conspiring to
make illegal political
contributions as a foreign
national in the names of straw
donors. Muraviev is
charged with conspiring with
Lev Parnas, Andrey Kukushkin,
and Igor Fruman, and others,
who were convicted at trial or
have pleaded guilty to these
crimes." Inner City Press has
uploaded the unsealed
indictment to its
DocumentCloud here.
In
advance of Kukushkin's
sentencing on March 15, the US
Attorney's Office has argued
he should be 51 to 63 months,
saying Kukushkin exhibits a
"glaring lack of any
acceptance of responsibility
for the harms he causes to the
American public."
Kukushkin's
lawyer argued that the US'
unsealing of the Muraviev
indictment was because he had
effectively argued for time
served. On March 15, Kukushkin
was sentenced to 12 months and
1 day with 3 years of
supervised release, and a fine
of $10,000. He is to surrender
on June 2, 2022.
On January
21 Igor Fruman, who pled
guilty before trial, was up
for sentencing. Inner City
Press live tweeted it here
(podcast here)
He got a year and day, below.
On March 2, this:
"I represent Igor Fruman in
the above-referenced case, and
I write to respectfully
request a 7-day adjournment of
Mr. Fruman’s surrender date.
Mr. Fruman was sentenced on
January 21, 2022 and ordered
to surrender on March 7, 2022.
Mr. Fruman has received
confirmation of his placement
at the Otisville Correctional
Facility and was prepared to
surrender on or before March
7, 2022. As Your Honor may
recall, the grandparents of
Mr. Fruman’s three children
live in Ukraine, and are
currently attempting to safely
leave the country because of
the Russian invasion. Mr.
Fruman is assisting them in
that regard and has been
having multiple communications
with them and others over the
past several days. We do not
anticipate this process will
take a long time, but it may
not be completed by March 7,
2022. Therefore, we
respectfully request that Your
Honor allow Mr. Fruman to
surrender no later than March
14, 2022 so that he is able to
continue to assist in the
process of getting his
children’s grandparents to
safety. I have discussed this
request with the government,
and they do not object to the
proposed 7-day adjournment of
Mr. Fruman’s surrender date."
The application
was granted, not surprisingly,
the next day: "MEMO
ENDORSEMENT as to Igor Fruman
(2) granting [305] LETTER
MOTION addressed to Judge J.
Paul Oetken from Todd Blanche
dated March 2, 2022 re: 7-day
Adjournment of Mr. Igor
Fruman's Surrender Date.
ENDORSEMENT: Granted. Mr.
Fruman's surrender date is
adjourned by 7 days. He shall
surrender to his designated
BOP facility on March 14,
2022, by 2:00 p.m. So ordered.
(Signed by Judge J. Paul
Oetken on 3/3/2022)."
From January 21
sentencing of Fruman,
who pled guilty to "soliciting
$1 million in foreign
contributions for US
candidates." US wants 37 to 46
months. Judge Oetken: I
have reviewed Mr. Fruman's net
worth statement that you
submitted. The parties agreed
to a guideline calculation in
the plea agreement: 37-46.
Probations recommends 14
months. Let's hear from
defense counsel
Todd
Blanche: The government says
that it was the instant
offense that led Mr. Fruman
and his wife to separate. They
did separate in 2017. They're
trying to figure things out
based on the arrest in 2019.
The US downplays the financial
damage to Mr. Fruman
Blanche:
The Land Rover belongs to his
wife. His son drives the
Porsche, I've seen it many
times, it is not a luxury
vehicle. The Cadillac too.
He's not in the lap of luxury.
Sure he has a nice condo, yes,
nice views.
Blanche:
But nice condo or not, Mr.
Fruman has been on home
detention with GPS for 28
months. Does he have business
in Ukraine? The brochure they
show is from 2008. The
financial crisis hit The
Ukraine very hard. He has a
dilapidated apartment there.
Blanche:
The $1 million dollars, it was
a loan to Mr. Fruman, not to
Mr. Parnas or Kukushkin. Mr.
Fruman will have to pay it
back to the foreign national.
Every time you Google Mr.
Fruman it says he was going to
flee. He has to live with
that. Blanche: The US Attorney
initially said the million
dollars came from a Ukraine
officials. But it didn't. Mr.
Correa, for his participation
in Fraud Guarantee -- Judge
Oetken: That was different.
Blanche: He was part of this
indictment.
Blanche: Mr.
Fruman was in solitary
confinement for eight days.
That's punishment
enough.
Judge Oetken: Mr.
Scotten?
AUSA Hagan
Scotten: The victim isn't
here, but it is - the public
is watching this case.
Fruman:
I will never appear before you
or in another courtroom again.
Judge Oetken: I
am ready to sentence under 18
USC 3553(a). This wasn't the
Manchurian candidate. It was
about a cannabis business.
They were clueless.
Judge
Oetken: The guideline is 37-46
months; probation suggests 14
months. I agree that a
variance is warranted -
significant notoriety, some of
it unfair. I've decided that
12 months and one day is
appropriate. I add the day to
permit Good Time credit of 54
days
Judge
Oetken: Self-surrender in
March. Blanche: Otisville,
please. Judge Oekten: I'll
make that recommendation.
Adjourned.
On October 22,
after mere hours of
deliberation, the jury found
both men guilty on all counts.
Inner City Press live tweeted
it here
and below.
On December 9
Parnas moved for acquittal and
a new trial, arguing there was
insufficient evidence of a
conspiracy to make donations
by a foreign national, etc.
Inner City Press will report
the result(s).
In December
Kukushkin sought a seven week
delay in sentencing and the
prosecutors quickly opposed
the request, citing the
deterrent effect of timely
punishment.
On December 21,
this: "ORDER granting in part
[281] LETTER MOTION to adjourn
sentencing: DEFENDANT
KUKUSHKIN'S MOTION TO ADJOURN
SENTENCING IS GRANTED IN PART.
SENTENCING IS HEREBY ADJOURNED
TO MARCH 15, 2022, AT 11:00
A.M. DEFENDANT'S SENTENCING
SUBMISSION IS DUE MARCH 1,
2022. THE GOVERNMENT'S
SENTENCING SUBMISSION IS DUE
MARCH 8, 2022. SO ORDERED.
(Oetken, J.)"
Docketed on
October 25 was co-defendant
David Correia's renewed push
for compassionate release. In
a ten page handwritten letter
Correia, referring to himself
in the third person, cited
remorse and medical
conditions.
On October 27, it
was denied: "Correia's motion
for compassionate release
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §
3582(c)(1) is denied. The
Government is directed to
reach out to FCI Butner to
inquire about whether Correia
has seen a gastroenterologist
and if not, what steps the BOP
is taking to ensure adequate
care for Correia. The
Government is also directed to
report back to the Court
within two weeks. The Clerk of
Court is directed to close the
motion at Docket Number 213.
The Clerk of Court is directed
to mail a copy of this order
to Correia at the address
below. SO ORDERED. (Signed by
Judge J. Paul Oetken on
10/27/2021)." Inner City Press
is on the case.
From October 22:
Now in US v. Parnas and
Kukushkin the jury is coming
back, at 2:57 pm. Judge
Oetken: Good afternoon. For
the record. I've marked Court
Exhibit 5 as the verdict 5.
Judge
Oekten: I received a note that
Juror 11 is the fore person.
Then a note at 2:40 pm that
the jury has reached a
verdict, signed by Juror 11.
Bring out the jury.
Judge Oetken:
Members of the jury, I've
received your notes. Mr.
Foreperson have you reached a
unanimous verdict? Juror 11:
We have, Your Honor. Judge
Oetken: Let me review it.
(Reads, silently).
Mr. Hampton will
now take the verdict.
Hampton: Count 1? Juror:
Guilty (both) Clerk:
Count Two? Juror 11: Guilty.
Clerk: Counts 3 and 4? Juror
11: Guilty. Clerk: Count 5
false statements? Juror 11:
Guilty. Clerk: Count 6? Juror
11: guilty
On October
14, Parnas' lawyer Joseph Bondy accused the
US Attorney's Office of racism, and AUSA
Hagen Scotten of threatening him with or
about a sidearm. Inner City Press live
tweeted it here
podcast here
On
the morning of October
15, before the jury came in, the
defense successfully argued to
have the jury instructed that the
Times Square
"street fight / racist"
video shown the day
before is not
relevant and is excluded.
Inner City Press
live tweeted
it here,
podcast here.
On October 18
to 1 pm, there
was more cross
examiation of
Van Rensburg,
and the beginning on
Caroline
Booth.
Inner City Press
live tweeted here
(podcast here)
(vlog here)
During the
afternoon of
October 18,
Bondy cross
examined Rep Pete Sessions' (now Liz
Cheney's)
staffer
Caroline
Boothe, mortgage
broker Ross
and lawyer /
notary
Preminger. The
question of
Parnas testifying
arose. Inner
City Press
live tweeted
it here.
On the morning
of October
19, an
argument out
of hearing of
the jury about
what Parnas could
be cross
examined
about, if he
testified.
Inner City
Press live
tweeted it here
(and podcast
here)
On the
afternoon of
October 19,
Ahearn of
America First
Action
was put on the
stand by the
defense, with
whether
Parnas will
follow him to
the stand
still left open.
Inner City
Press live tweeted
here and
below.
On
October
20 - drum roll
- the time for
Parnas to
decide to
testify or not
came. And... he did
not. Inner
City Press
live tweeted
it here: (and podcast
here)
And on
October 21,
the summations
or closing
arguments; Inner
City Press
live tweeted here
and here:
now
closing
arguments in
US v. Parnas
&
Kukushkin
Assistant US
Attorney Hagen
"Sidearm"
Scotten: Here
is what Ms.
Van Rensburg
did - exactly
what Parnas
told her to
do. Here are
the phone
records.
Special Agent
Thomas found
this form in
Mr. Parnas'
home, for
joining
Trump's
campaign
finance
committee
AUSA Scotten:
Joe Ahearn
testified that
Parnas knew
the rule
against
foreign
nationals
contributing.
As to
Kukushkin,
maybe he
wasn't
interested in
the news, but
he kept up
with what was
important to
him: cannabis
and illegal
campaign
contributions
AUSA Scotten:
Here is
Muraviev,
mooning the
Statue of
Liberty. This
is who
Kukushkin was
working with.
Kukushkin must
have known he
was a bad man.
AUSA Scotten
concludes
with, You'll
return the
only verdicts
supported by
the evidence,
guilty.
On October 11
Kukushkin asked to exclude a
slew of Government Exhibits,
full 8-page letter on Patreon
here.
On October 5
Judge Oetken held the final
pre-trial conference in
advance of October 12 jury
selection. Inner City Press
live tweeted it here
and below (podcast here)
Late on October 7
the US Attorney's Office has
written to Judge Oetken
seeking rulings in advance to
admit exhibits including "The
Inaugural Committee Articles,
the FEC Complaint Article, the
Time cover, and the Russian
Roots Emails." Full letter on
Patreon here.
And now, song here.
On September 10, Igor "The
Glue" Fruman pleaded guilty.
Inner City Press live tweeted
it here
(with vlog;
podcast here)
The
case is US
v. Parnas, et
al.,
19-cr-00725
(Oetken).
***
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