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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon, thread

SDNY / UN GATE, July 22 – With Jeffrey Epstein decisively ordered detained on child sex trafficking charges in the Metropolitan Correctional Center by U.S. District Court for the Security District of New York Judge Richard M. Berman, a seemingly incongruous sentence of mere probation for child pornography was rendered on July 22 by Judge Berman.

  Kyle Lorber reached a plea agreement with the Office of the US Attorney for the SDNY for having paid with Bitcoin for videos such as "real rape & snuff of a mum and 2yr daughter." The sentencing guidelines were for from 78 to 97 months in prison.

  But in Judge Berman's SDNY Courtroom 17B, packed earlier this month when the testimony was of photographs found in Jeffrey Epstein's safe but today with Inner City Press the only media present, Lorber's defense lawyer was arguing for 18 to 24 months home confinement.

  He said incarceration could subject Lorber to potential victimization, given his appearance, his lack of street sophistication and "the offense he's going in for."

  Judge Berman asked Lorber if his therapy is tailored to sex offenders; he asked the Assistant US Attorney how exactly the mandatory $5000 payment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act would be used (she didn't know).

  Then Judge Berman announced his sentence: five years probation. He told Lorber to continue therapy with Doctors Krueger, Kaplan and Martinez. Will Jeffrey Epstein be speed-dialing these doctors? In fairness, there might be a danger that handling the Epstein case would have an effect on Judge Berman's handling of other sex offender cases. But was that the case here? Watch this site. More on Patreon, here.

  In other news, Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell has closed down her TerraMar Project which had been welcomed in the United Nations in the Secretary General's press briefing room, before UNSG Antonio Guterres had Inner City Press thrown out.

   In June 2017 Ghislaine Maxwell's TerraMar participated in and promoted Guterres Ocean's Concerned, with Guterres' official Peter Thomson who flew to China for directly photo ops with CEFC China Energy's Ye Jianming.

 Now in July 2019 after Guterres has had Inner City Press roughed up and banned 382+ days from the UN, the video is abruptly "not available." It is another cover up.

  On 25 June 2013 Ghislaine Maxwell appeared in the UN briefing room pitching TerraMar. Inner City Press asked questions, for example on this video from 7:12. Then this:

From: G Max <ghislaine@theterramarproject.org>
Date: Fri, Jun 28, 2013 at 9:38 AM
Subject: The TerraMar Project To: matthew.lee [at] innercitypress.com
Dear Matthew, It was a pleasure to meet you. As promised, here is some information on the TerraMar Project – you can see all the latest press if you go to http://theterramarproject.org/thedailycatch/category/press/ - the UN talk, Bloomberg and CNN being the latest. Don’t forget to apply for your passport at theterramarproject.org – your citizenship is pre-approved! Best, Ghislaine 

Inner City Press has been on Terramar's mailing list since. As recently as July 11, 2019 TerraMar sent out an email about clownfish. But now its website says "The TerraMar Project is sad to announce that it will cease all operations. The web site will be closed."

  As so often at the UN under Guterres, corruption once exposed just tries to slink away. Guterres is financially linked to CEFC China Energy. When CEFC's Patrick Ho was indicted and convicted for UN bribery, Guterres never started any audit but instead has Inner City Press which asked roughed up and and thrown out, 382 days now. But the net is tightening. And there are others connected; more on Patreon here. Watch that and this site.

Epstein had his bail application denied on July 18 and will remain in the Metropolitan Correctional Center. His next court appearance is July 31. Judge Richard M. Berman of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York gave a summary of his forthcoming written order, saying that Epstein is a danger to the community and citing the July 15 testimony of victims Annie Farmer and Courtney Wild. He called the proposed bail package woefully inadequate and added his view that no package would have outweighed the danger to the community. The public's interest in a speedy trial was outweighed by the need to prevent any miscarriage of justice.

 Meanwhile the SDNY prosecutors more quietly cut a cooperation agreement with another child sex trafficking Anthony Darby.

   Inner City Press had gone to the SDNY courtroom of Judge Paul Engelmayer to cover another matter. But inside the courtroom a shackled man was pleading guilty. The courtroom deputy came over to say this was not the case Inner City Press had come to cover. But Inner City Press stayed to cover it. Soon Assistant US Attorney Wolf requested a sidebar with Judge Engelmayer.

  The reason quickly became clear. Darby was pleading guilty to 14 counts, sex trafficking of minor and conspiracy, in exchange for cooperation he would get a 5K1.1 letter - in April 2020. Judge Engelmayer to his credit, unlike at least two other SDNY Judges, did not lawlessly order the Press to leave. And for that reason for now Inner City Press is reporting only these bare bones facts: that amid criticism of the Jeffrey Epstein non prosecution agreement, this Darby deal is taking place in the SDNY. Is it a good deal? We'll have more on this.

  That Jeffrey Epstein, now in the Metropolitan Correctional Center by Foley Square, would be denied bail on July 18 at 11:30 am was widely predicted. On July 17, after Judge Berman moved the time for his decision from 9:30 to 11:30 am the next day, Assistant US Attorney Alison Moe wrote to him: "The Government respectfully submits this letter to briefly respond to one aspect of the defendant’s July 16, 2019 letter (ECF No. 24), and to provide the Court with additional information regarding the defendant’s foreign passport. The defendant’s July 16, 2019 letter asserts: “[A]s for the Austrian passport the government trumpets, it expired 32 years ago. And the government offers nothing to suggest—and certainly no evidence—that Epstein ever used it.” (ECF No. 24 at 7). In fact, the passport contains numerous ingress and egress stamps, including stamps that reflect use of the passport to enter France, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia in the 1980s. The Government further notes that the defendant’s submission does not address how the defendant obtained the foreign passport and, more concerning, the defendant has still not disclosed to the Court whether he is a citizen or legal permanent resident of a country other than the United States." Watch this site.

On July 15 SDNY Judge Richard M. Berman asked five questions after saying he won't rule until July 18 at 9:30 am in his courtroom. Inner City Press thread on Twitter here. More on Patreon, here.

 On July 16 on the issue of the passport the US wrote to Judge Berman that "During the Detention Hearing, the Government informed the Court that it had recently learned that law enforcement agents had seized what appears to be an expired foreign passport (the “Foreign Passport”) from a safe in the defendant’s Manhattan residence during the execution of a search warrant on or about July 6, 2019. The Foreign Passport has a photograph that appears to depict the defendant, but lists a different name. Photographs of that passport are annexed hereto as Exhibit B. In the same safe, agents discovered what appears to be an expired United States passport issued to the defendant, in his true name, within three years of the date on the Foreign Passport. A photograph of that United States passport is annexed hereto as Exhibit C, so that the Court may compare the passports, both of which appear to depict the defendant. Because Exhibits B and C contain personally identifiable information and sensitive information relevant to the ongoing investigation, the Government respectfully requests that Exhibits B and C be filed under seal.  The Government is attempting to obtain additional information about the Foreign Passport, including how it was obtained and whether the passport is genuine or fabricated. But the defendant’s possession of what purports to be a foreign passport issued under an alias gives rise to the inference the defendant knows how to obtain false travel documents and/or assume other, foreign identities. This adds to the serious risk of flight posed by the defendant. FN:  The Government has asked defense counsel to advise whether the defendant is currently, or has been in the past, a citizen or legal permanent resident of a country other than the United States. To date, defense counsel has declined to respond. Certainly if the defendant is, or has been, a citizen or permanent resident of another country, that would add significantly to the overwhelming evidence of risk of flight."

 As to Epstein's allegedly claiming to be a Saudi resident, it is worth noting as Inner City Press tweeted that Epstein funded the expansion of a UN-centric NGO into Bahrain, here.

  Epstein's lawyer Martin Weinberg said among other things that Epstein is not an out of control rapist, and offered to post $100 million bail.

 In response to Judge Berman's question on who in the Department of Justice signed off on the non prosecution agreement, Weinberg cited the current Under Secretary of Treasury, who is Sigal P. Mandelker, and also Mark Filip.

  Assistant US Attorney Alex Rossmiller said they have found a passport from a foreign country, with Epstein's photo in it but another name, listing him as a resident of Saudi Arabia. Judge Berman asked for a sample of what was found in Epstein's East 71st Street mansion - and asked for any further written filings by July 16 at 5 pm. He will rule, drum-roll, on July 18 at 9:30 am in his courtroom (which on July 15 was called too full for Inner City Press.) More on Patreon, here. Watch this site.

  As Inner City Press has reported from the Magistrates Court of the SDNY this year, at least two accused pedophiles have been released on bond, with conditions.

One, Donnie Fetters, was bailed by Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang on May 10 and allowed to fly back to Iowa from whence he came to Laguardia to meet an underage girl, or what he thought was an underage girl. See the Inner City Press, the only media that day in the Magistrate Court, story here. Fetters remains free; most recently his appearance before SDNY Judge Victor Marrero was waived. This case is now US v. Fetters, 19-cr-387 (VM).

On May 30 SDNY Magistrate Judge James L. Cott granted bond to Bryan Pivnick, accused of grooming an 11 year old boy, see Inner City Press story here: now Pivnick is asking for greater access to the Internet in New Jersey, ostensibly to pay his student loans. This case is now US v. Pivnick, 19-cr-00464 (PKC). More on Patreon, here.