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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Podcast

SDNY COURTHOUSE, March 23 – Francis Lorenzo used his position as UN Ambassador for the Dominican Republic to take and pay bribes for a Macau "UN South South Development Conference Center proposed by  Ng Lap Seng - who on March 15 was granted release from prison.
 
 Judge Broderick, ten days after giving time served to co-defendant Heidi Piao, granted Ng's request for release, citing COVID in Allenwood environs.

On March 16, the US asked for reconsideration and a stay.

The defense fired back on the evening of March 16, with a text message from Ng's daughter to Judge Broderick and the statement that Ng is ready to take a private charter flight back to China.

Now on March 23, this: "OPINION & ORDER as to Ng Lap Seng. For the reasons set forth at the conference held on March 17, 2021, and without objection from Defendant Ng Lap Seng ("Defendant" or "Ng"), it is hereby ORDERED that: 1. Government's Motion for Reconsideration. The Government's motion for reconsideration, (Doc. 991), of the Court's decision of March 15, 2021, (Doc. 989), granting compassionate release in light of the COVID-19 pandemic is DENIED for the case-specific reasons set forth at the conference held on March 17, 2021, including that Defendant was previously informed that his motions for compassionate release and reconsideration were already granted. 2. Stay of the Court's Release Decision and Timing of the Release of Defendant. On March 15, 2021, I granted the Government's request for a stay of the Court's decision. (Doc. 992.) The parties had previously agreed that the stay should be vacated on the business day following Defendant receiving his second shot of the Moderna vaccine or on March 29, 2021, whichever date is earlier. On March 23, 2021, defense counsel informed the Government and me that Defendant had received his second dose of the Moderna vaccine earlier that day. As such, the stay is VACATED and the Federal Bureau of Prisons ("BOP") shall deem the sentence of Defendant amended to time served, with all other conditions set forth in the judgment of conviction unchanged, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3582 and the Court's decision of March 15, 2021. 3. Transfer of Defendant to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Upon his release from imprisonment by the BOP, Defendant shall be transferred to United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") and thereafter promptly removed from the United States pursuant to the order of judicial removal previously issued by this Court. (Doc. 782). ICE shall take all reasonable steps to effect such removal safely (for both Defendant and those with whom he may come in contact) in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and consistent with applicable regulations and procedures. 4. Transfer of Defendant's Passports. Defendant's passports, currently in the custody of Xue Huang, shall be sent to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, pursuant to instructions previously provided to defense counsel by ICE, so as to effect Defendant's removal. (Signed by Judge Vernon S. Broderick on 3/23/2021)." We'll have more on this.

   Lorenzo was given a sentence of time served, which was twenty days in detention, by U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Vernon S. Broderick.

     It was what the US Attorney's Office essentially recommended, calling Lorenzo a model cooperating witness. This despite acknowledging that Lorenzo had to "re-plead" guilty when it emerged he had not disclosed his receipt of bribes.   Assistant US Attorney Douglas S. Zolkind at sentencing praised Lorenzo for example for always appearing in a three-piece suit.

  It then emerged that this same prosecution team asked for yet another six months delay in sentencing another briber in the case, Heidi Hong Piao.

 On March 5, Judge Broderick held the sentencing, and gave Heidi Piao "time served," with a reference to her being subjected to ridicule. Inner City Press live tweeted it, here:

Judge Broderick: The offense involves more than two bribes, and over $550,000. And it involves a high level official. 18 USC 1956, so two more levels to 34, minus 3 for pleading guilty. Sentencing guideline: 108 to 135 months imprisonment.

Judge Broderick: The government is giving a 5K1.1 letter (cooperator), and Ms. Piao has cited her health and wants time served.

 AUSA Richenthal: Ms. Piao sent bribes and didn't report overseas bank accounts. But you sentenced Ms Yan, & she was more involved.  NOTE: UN is still as corrupt as ever, these soft sentences did not discourage anything - if anything, it emboldened  Antonio Guterres

Now Piao's lawyer is claiming that Piao cooperated a lot.   But she never testified at the Ng Lap Seng trial in SDNY, which Inner City Press covered every day. Velvet gloves for bribers of the UN is making the Organization more and more corrupt.

Judge Broderick: I did see that Ms. Piao filed the amended tax returns required by the cooperation agreement. Also FBAR. [FUBAR.]

Piao: I am sorry for the choices that I made. I apologize to my family. [Bribing the UN, of course, goes without saying.] Says, I will never be before any court again. [Hey, Guterres has his hand out - and sells more of the public trust than John Ashe did]

 Judge Broderick: You were integral to the bribery scheme.  You were not a puppet. Your family members have written letters on your behalf.  There has been damage to the UN, "One can only hope things have changed there." Banned Inner City Press: They have not.

 Judge Broderick: You also hurt the countries they represent, Antigua &, was it Uganda?

AUSA Richenthal: Francis Lorenzo is from the Dominican Republic. But the phone calls we've referenced were about Chad & the Foreign Minister of Uganda. Kutesa. Still in power.

Judge Broderick: Mr Lorenzo didn't go to jail but fell from grace, a significant position in his country. [He was a no-show deputy ambassador - and still goes into the UN, which has become ever more corrupt under  Antonio
Guterres ]

 Judge Broderick: Ms. Piao, you grew up in Beijing. Your father was sent away during the Cultural Revolution... You apparently offered to testify against Patrick Ho, about the voices. And I understand that John Ashe may have been considering a plea before he died

[Medical alarm goes off.] Judge Broderick: So you cooperated. You exposed yourself to ridicule from some folks who wouldn't understand what was going on [?] I'll take that into consideration. So I sentence you to time served.
[Sob]
Two years of supervised release.

Judge Broderick: I hope I never see you again, I don't think I will, it's a good thing.

AUSA Richenthal: The money has been paid by others - no restitution (billionaire Ng paid it), it's a null set.

 And that's it. Podcast here.

     Judge Broderick before giving Francis Lorenzo the time served sentence said there was a need for general deterrence. But neither he nor Zolkind even mentioned an after arising UN bribery case, for which Patrick Ho of CEFC China Energy was convicted by SDNY Judge Loretta A. Preska.    

Judge Broderick did impose two years of supervised release, and 250 hours of community service.

    Afterward Inner City Press sought to ask Lorenzo a question but was told by his lawyerBrian H. Bieber that Lorenzo would not answer questions.

    So Inner City Press asked Bieber how Lorenzo would do his community service and when Lorenzo last saw and communicated with Carlos Garcia, the former El Salvador ambassador shown in the trial before Judge Broderick to have helped launder money for Lorenzo.

  Bieber said he would ask Lorenzo, and perhaps get back to Inner City Press, which has reported and will continue to report on these cases. This case is US v. Lorenzo, 15-cr-706 (Broderick).

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