For Bar
Works Fraud
David Kennedy
Pled Guilty
After
Extradited Now
Asks Probation
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY EXCLUSIVE,
April 5 – David Kennedy was
arrested by Spain on November
20, 2022 for the "Bar Works"
fraud committed mostly in the
US.
A Spanish court
on June 8, 2023 authorized the
extradition to the US of
"48-year-old David
A.K."
On
August 24, 2023 Spratley was
presented before U.S. District
Court for the Southern
District of New York
Magistrate Judge Sarah
Netburn. Inner City Press was
there that day, the only media
in the SDNY Mag court.
DOJ
had previously announced that
"ROBINSON, KENNEDY, and
co-conspirators Renwick Haddow
and James Moore are citizens
of the United Kingdom (the
“UK”). At all times
relevant to the Indictment,
United Property Group and
related entities
(collectively, “UPG”) was a
company based in Spain that
was controlled in part by
ROBINSON and KENNEDY.
UPG sold real estate and other
investing opportunities to
potential investors. Bar
Works was a private co-working
space company controlled by
Haddow, which operated
locations in New York City and
elsewhere between in or about
2015 through 2017 and accepted
millions of dollars in
investments from investors
recruited through UPG."
Kennedy was
detained, as is usually but
not always the case with
extraditions (see Inner City
Press' reporting on the Polar
Air Cargo fraud case).
On September 8,
Kennedy retained (paid) new
counsel, who previous
represented among others Anna
Delvey of Inventing Anna fame
or notoriety, and Ghislaine
Maxwell juror Scotty David,
natch.
On September 25,
Judge Kaplan docketed this:
"Pretrial Conference as to
David Kennedy held...
Discovery to be complete by
10/23/2023. The next
conference is scheduled for
11/1/2023 at 4:30 PM. Today
through and including
11/1/2023 is excluded from
speedy trial calculations in
the interests of justice.
Defendant remained detained."
4:30 pm - that is, after the
US v. SBF trial day...
And on October
13, amid the SBF trial, he
pled guilty: "Minute Entry for
proceedings held before
Magistrate Judge Valerie
Figueredo: Change of Plea
Hearing as to David Kennedy
held on 10/13/2023.
Defendant enters a plea of
Guilty to Count # 1. Court
reporter present. Detention
continued. Plea entered by
David Kennedy (2) Guilty as to
Count 1s. (lnl) "
On April 3,
Kennedy through counsel asked
for a sentence of probation.
Cut to March 7,
2024, when Robinson made his
first appearance: "Initial
Appearance as to James
Robinson held on 3/7/2024.
Arraignment as to James
Robinson (1) Count 1s,2s held
on 3/7/2024. Arraignment and
initial pretrial conference
regarding defendant James
Robinson held before the
district judge Lewis A.
Kaplan. Defendant read his
rights and arraigned, entering
a plea of not guilty.
Government given Rule 5(f)
warning. Discovery deadline to
be complete 4/7/2024. Defense
motions due by 5/15/2024;
Government opposition due by
5/29/2024; defense reply due
6/6/2024; oral argument or a
conference scheduled for
6/11/2024 @ 11:00 AM. Parties
reported that a trial of this
case would last 1 to 2 weeks.
Time from today, through and
including 6/11/2024 is
excluded from speedy trial
calculations in the interests
of justice. Detention
continued."
This case is US
v. Robinson, et al., 21-cr-344
(Kaplan)
***
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