Opinion
S10 17 Cr. 243 (SHS)
07-09-2021
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. RYAN HULT, Defendant.
AUDREY STRAUSS United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York ROBERT B. SOBELMAN Assistant United States Attorney RYAN HULT, ERIC KLEINER. ESQ. Attorney for Defendant
AUDREY STRAUSS United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York ROBERT B. SOBELMAN Assistant United States Attorney
RYAN HULT, ERIC KLEINER. ESQ. Attorney for Defendant
CONSENT PRELIMINARY ORDER OF FORFEITURE AS TO SPECIFIC PROPERTY/ MONEY JUDGMENT
SIDNEY H. STEIN UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
WHEREAS, on or about May 16, 2019, RYAN HULT (the “Defendant”) was charged in a five-count Information, 17 Cr. 243 (SHS) (the “Information”), with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 and 2 (Count One); aggravated identity theft in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A (Count Two); conspiracy to commit money laundering in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h) (Count Three); conspiracy to bribe a public official in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371 (Count Four); and making a false statement in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001 (Count Five).
WHEREAS, the Information included a forfeiture allegation as to Count One of the Information, seeking forfeiture to the United States, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 981(a)(1)(C) and Title 28, United States Code, Section 2461(c), of any and all property constituting, or derived from, proceeds the Defendant obtained directly or indirectly, as a result of the offense charged in Count One of the Information, including but not limited to a sum of money in United States currency representing the amount of proceeds traceable to the commission of the offenses charged in Count One of the Information;
WHEREAS, the Information also included a forfeiture allegation as to Count Three of the Information, seeking forfeiture to the United States, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 982(a)(1), of any and all property, real and personal, involved in the offense charged in Count Three, or any property traceable to such property, including but not limited to a sum of money in United States currency representing the amount of property involved in the offense charged in Count Three of the Information;
WHEREAS, on or about May 16, 2019, the Defendant pled guilty to Counts One through Five of the Information, pursuant to a plea agreement with the Government, wherein the Defendant admitted the forfeiture allegation with respect to Count One of the Information and agreed to forfeit to the United States, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 981(a)(1)(C) and Title 28, United States Code, Section 2461, any and all property, real and personal, that constituted, or was derived from, proceeds traceable to the commission of the offenses charged in Count One of the Information, including but not limited to a sum of money in United States currency representing the amount of proceeds traceable to the commission of said offenses;
WHEREAS, the Defendant further admitted the forfeiture allegation with respect to Count Three of the Information and agreed to forfeit to the United States, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 982(a)(1) any and all property, real and personal, involved in said offense, and any property traceable to such property, including but not limited to a sum of money in United States currency representing the amount of property involved in said offense;
WHEREAS, the Defendant consents to the entry of a money judgment in the amount of $2,500,000 in United States currency representing the amount of proceeds traceable to the offenses charged in Counts One through Three of the Information that the Defendant personally obtained (the “Money Judgment”);
WHEREAS, the Defendant admits that, as a result of acts and/or omissions of the Defendant, the proceeds traceable to the offense charged in Counts One through Three of the Information that the Defendant personally obtained cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence, with the exception of the Specific Property; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Section 853(g), and Rules 32.2(b)(3), and 32.2(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the Government is now entitled, pending any assertion of third-party claims, to reduce the Specific Property to its possession and to notify any and all persons who reasonably appear to be a potential claimant of their interest herein;
IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED, by and between the United States of America, by its attorney Audrey Strauss, United States Attorney, Assistant United States Attorney, Robert B. Sobelman, of counsel, and the Defendant, and his counsel, Eric Kleiner, Esq., that:
1. As a result of the offenses charged in Counts One through Five of the Information, to which the Defendant pled guilty, a money judgment in the amount of $2,500,000 in United States currency, representing the amount of proceeds traceable to the offenses charged in Counts One through Five of the Information that the Defendant personally obtained, shall be entered against the Defendant.
2. As a result of the offenses charged in Counts One through Five of the Information, to which the Defendant pled guilty, all of the Defendant's right, title and interest in the Specific Property is hereby forfeited to the United States for disposition in accordance with the law, subject to the provisions of Title 21, United States Code, Section 853.
3. Pursuant to Rule 32.2(b)(4) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, this Consent Preliminary Order of Forfeiture as to Specific Property/Money Judgment is final as to the Defendant, RYAN HULT, and shall be deemed part of the sentence of the Defendant, and shall be included in the judgment of conviction therewith.
4. The Defendant agrees that he will not file a claim or a petition for remission or mitigation in any forfeiture proceeding involving the Specific Property and will not cause or assist anyone else in doing so. The Defendant further agrees to take all necessary steps to pass clear title to the Specific Property to the United States, including, but not limited to, the execution of all necessary documentation.
5. All payments on the outstanding Money Judgment shall be made by postal money order, bank or certified check, made payable to United States Customs and Border Protection, and delivered by mail to the United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York, Attn: Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit, One St. Andrew's Plaza, New York, New York 10007 and shall indicate the Defendant's name and case number.
6. United States Customs and Border Protection shall be authorized to deposit the payments on the Money Judgment in the Treasury Assets Forfeiture Fund, and the United States shall have clear title to such forfeited property.
7. Upon entry of this Consent Preliminary Order of Forfeiture as to Specific Property/Money Judgment, the United States (or its designee) is hereby authorized to take possession of the Specific Property and to hold such property in its secure custody and control.
8. Pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Section 853(n)(1), Rule 32.2(b)(6) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Rules G(4)(a)(iv)(C) and G(5)(a)(ii) of the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims and Asset Forfeiture Actions, the United States is permitted to publish forfeiture notices on the government internet site, www.forfeiture.gov. This site incorporates the forfeiture notices that have been traditionally published in newspapers. The United States forthwith shall publish the internet ad for at least thirty (30) consecutive days. Any person, other than the Defendant, claiming interest in the Specific Property must file a Petition within sixty (60) days from the first day of publication of the Notice on this official government internet web site, or no later than thirty-five (35) days from the mailing of actual notice, whichever is earlier.
9. The published notice of forfeiture shall state that the petition (i) shall be for a hearing to adjudicate the validity of the petitioner's alleged interest in the Specific Property, (ii) shall be signed by the petitioner under penalty of perjury, and (iii) shall set forth the nature and extent of the petitioner's right, title or interest in the Specific Property, the time and circumstances of the petitioner's acquisition of the right, title and interest in the Specific Property, any additional facts supporting the petitioner's claim, and the relief sought, pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Section 853(n).
10. Pursuant to 32.2 (b)(6)(A) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the Government shall send notice to any person who reasonably appears to be a potential claimant with standing to contest the forfeiture in the ancillary proceeding.
11. Upon adjudication of all third-party interests, this Court will enter a Final Order of Forfeiture with respect to the Specific Property pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Section 853(n), in which all interests will be addressed. All Specific Property forfeited to the United States under a Final Order of Forfeiture shall be applied towards the satisfaction of the Money Judgment.
12. Pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Section 853(p), the United States is authorized to seek forfeiture of substitute assets of the Defendant up to the uncollected amount of the Money Judgment.
13. Pursuant to Rule 32.2(b)(3) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, the United States Attorney's Office is authorized to conduct any discovery needed to identify, locate or dispose of forfeitable property, including depositions, interrogatories, requests for production of documents and the issuance of subpoenas.
14. The Court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce this Consent Preliminary Order of Forfeiture as to Specific Property/Money Judgment, and to amend it as necessary, pursuant to Rule 32.2 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
15. The Clerk of the Court shall forward three certified copies of this Consent Preliminary Order of Forfeiture as to Specific Property/Money Judgment to Assistant United States Attorney Alexander J. Wilson, Co-Chief of the Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit, United States Attorney's Office, One St. Andrew's Plaza, New York, New York 10007.
16. The signature page of this Consent Preliminary Order of Forfeiture as to Specific Property/Money Judgment may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.
SO ORDERED.