Opinion
S2 21 Cr. 313 (JPO)
11-29-2022
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. VICTOR ALMONTE, Defendant.
DAMIAN WILLIAMS United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York REBECCA T. DELL ROBERT B. SOBELMAN Assistant United States Attorneys VICTOR ALMONTE NOLA BALLER, ESQ. ANIRUDH BANSAL, ESQ. Attorneys for the Defendant Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP
DAMIAN WILLIAMS
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York
REBECCA T. DELL
ROBERT B. SOBELMAN
Assistant United States Attorneys
VICTOR ALMONTE
NOLA BALLER, ESQ.
ANIRUDH BANSAL, ESQ.
Attorneys for the Defendant
Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP
CONSENT PRELIMINARY ORDER OF FORFEITURE/ MONEY JUDGMENT
PAUL OETKEN, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
WHEREAS, on or about December 13, 2021, VICTOR ALMONTE (the “Defendant”), and another, was charged in a sealed Superseding Indictment, S2 21 Cr. 313 (JPO) (the “Indictment”), with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and a controlled substance analogue, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846 (Count One);
WHEREAS, the Indictment included a forfeiture allegation as to Count One of the Indictment, seeking forfeiture to the United States, pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Section 853, of any and all property constituting, or derived from, proceeds the Defendant obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of the commission of the offense charged in Count One of the Indictment, and any and all property used, or intended to be used, in any manner or part to commit, or to facilitate the commission of the offense charged in Count One of the Indictment, including but not limited to a sum of money in United States currency, representing the amount of proceeds traceable to the commission of the offense charged in Count One of the Indictment;
WHEREAS, on Or about November 29, 2022, the Defendant pled guilty to Count One of the Indictment, pursuant to a plea agreement with the Government, wherein the Defendant admitted the forfeiture allegation with respect to Count One of the Indictment, and agreed to forfeit to the United States. pursuant to Title 21, United States Code;Section 853, a sum of money equal to $50,000 in United States currency, representing the proceeds traceable to the commission of the offense charged in Count One of the Indictment;
WHEREAS, the Defendant consents to the entry of a money judgment in the amount of $50,000 in United States currency, representing the total amount of proceeds traceable to the offenses charged in Count One of the Indictment that the Defendant personally obtained; and
WHEREAS, the Defendant admits that, as a result of acts and/or omissions of the Defendant, the proceeds traceable to the offense charged in Count One the Indictment that the Defendant personally obtained cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence.
IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED, by and between the United States of America, by its attorney Damian Williams, United States Attorney, Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca T. Bell and Robert B. Sobelman, of counsel, and the Defendant and his counsel, Nola B. Heller, Esq. and Anirudh Bansal, Esq., Esq., that:
1 As a result of the offense charged in Count One of the Indictment, to which the Defendant pled guilty, a money judgment in the amount of $50,000 in United States currency (the “Money Judgment”), representing the amount of proceeds traceable to the offense charged in Count One of the Indictment that the Defendant personally obtained, shall be entered against the Defendant.
2. Pursuant to Rule 32.2(b)(4) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, this Consent Preliminary Order of Forfeiture/Money Judgment is final as to the Defendant VICTOR ALMONTE, and shall be deemed part of the sentence of the Defendant, and shall be included in the judgment of conviction therewith.
3. All payments on the outstanding Money Judgment shall be made by postal money order, bank or certified check, made payable, in this instance, to the 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.
4. Upon entry of this Consent Preliminary Order of Forfeiture/Money Judgment, and pursuant to Title 21, United States Code, Section 853, the United States Customs and Border Protection, or its designee the Office of Fines, Penalties, and Forfeiture shall be authorized to deposit the payment on the Money Judgment into the Treasury Assets Forfeiture Fund, and the United States shall have clear title to such forfeited property.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. The Court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce this Consent Preliminary Order of Forfeiture/Money Judgment, and to amend it as necessary, pursuant to Rule 32.2 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure.
8. The signature page of this Consent Preliminary Order of Forfeiture/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.