| Money Laundering Convict Got 48
Months Back Dated to Panama Now Another
Pleads Out
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
Nov 20 –
Benzion Zirkind was arrested
and released on money
laundering charges on July 21
in the U.S. District Court for
the Southern District of New
York. He put up a $100,000
bond secured by a property at
1349 President Street in
Brooklyn owned by a friend of
the family.
SDNY
Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses
held a proceeding and Inner
City Press covered it.
Benzion
Zirkind unlike most defendants
in the SDNY at that time had
retained counsel, who
announced that he had "four
questions."
Judge Moses joked that those
should be for the youngest
child.
One of the
questions was how the
defendant should avoid
speaking with co-defendants,
if some of them are sealed.
More, apparently, will be
family members.
The
President Street property is
valued at over $2 million.
The next court
date was before District Judge
Denise L. Cote. She
ordered, "ORDER as to Benzion
Zirkind: ORDERED that a
conference is scheduled for
Friday, August 14, 2020 at
10:00 am. in which Mr. Tamir,
Mr. Myers, the defendant, and
counsel for the Government all
must participate. IT IS
FURTHER ORDERED that the
Government shall provide Mr.
Tamir with a copy of this
Order. (Pretrial Conference
set for 8/14/2020 at 10:00 AM
before Judge Denise L. Cote)."
Jump cut to
September 28, 2022, when Judge
Cote sentenced a co-defendant:
"JUDGMENT In A Criminal Case
(S4 19-Cr-463-08). Date of
Imposition of Judgment:
9/28/2022. Defendant Liliana
Hoyos Pelaez (8) pleaded
guilty to Count(s) 1.
IMPRISONMENT: 48 months."
Jump cut to
February 27, 2024, when the US
Attorney's Office wrote it to
schedule a March 6 change of
plea proceeding for
co-defendant Hector Manuel
Forero Alvarez.
On March 6, he
did in fact plead guilty.
And at
sentencing: "as to Hector
Manuel Forero Alvarez -
IMPRISONMENT: 48 months. The
defendant shall forfeit to the
U.S. Government the amount of
$78,590.00."
Jump cut to
November 20, 2025 on a
co-defendant: "Change of Plea
Hearing as to Brian Para
Machado held on 11/20/2025.
Defendant withdraws his not
guilty plea and pleads guilty
as charged to the lesser
included offense of Count 2.
The Court accepts the guilty
plea. PSI Ordered. Sentence
date set for February 20, 2026
at 2:30 PM. Detention
continued.
The case is USA
v. Bomba, et al., 1:19-cr-463
(Cote)
***
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