Opinion
19 Cr. 651 (LTS)
10-12-2022
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. CRISTIAN COSTEA, a/k/a “Momo,” Defendant.
DAMIAN WILLIAMS United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York ELIZABETH HANFT SAMUEL P. ROTHSCHILD ROBERT B. SOBELMAN MAGGIE LYNAUGH Assistant United States Attorneys CRISTIAN COSTEA JAKE LA SALA, ESQ. Attorney for Defendant
DAMIAN WILLIAMS
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York
ELIZABETH HANFT
SAMUEL P. ROTHSCHILD
ROBERT B. SOBELMAN
MAGGIE LYNAUGH
Assistant United States Attorneys
CRISTIAN COSTEA
JAKE LA SALA, ESQ.
Attorney for Defendant
CONSENT PRELIMINARY ORDER OF FORFEITURE/MONEY JUDGMENT
LAURA T. SWAIN, CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
WHEREAS, on or about September 9, 2019, CRISTIAN COSTEA, a/k/a “Momo” (the “Defendant”), among others, was charged in a four-count sealed Indictment, 19 Cr. 651 (LTS) (the “Indictment”), with conspiracy to commit access device fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(b)(2) (Count One); conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 (Count Two); aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1028A(a)(1), 1028A(b), and 2 (Count Three); and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h) (Count Four);
WHEREAS, the Indictment included, inter alia, a forfeiture allegation as to Count Four of the Indictment, 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 Four of the Indictment, or any property traceable to such property, including but not limited to a sum of money in United States currency, and various specific property;
WHEREAS, on or about, 10/12/22, 2022, the Defendant pled guilty to Count Four of the Indictment, pursuant to a plea agreement with the Government, wherein the Defendant admitted the forfeiture allegation with respect to Count Four of the Indictment and agreed to forfeit to the United States, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 982(a)(1), a sum of money equal to $250,000 in United States currency, representing the amount of property involved in the offense charged in Count Four of the Indictment;
WHEREAS, the Defendant consents to the entry of a money judgment in the amount of $250,000 in United States currency, representing the amount of property involved in the offense charged in Count Four of the Indictment; and
WHEREAS, the Defendant admits that, as a result of acts and/or omissions of the Defendant, the property involved in the offense charged in Count Four of the Indictment 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 Elizabeth Hanft, Samuel P. Rothschild, Robert B. Sobelman, and Maggie Lynaugh, of counsel, and the Defendant and his counsel, Jake LaSala, Esq., that:
1. Asa result of the offense charged in Count Four of the Indictment, to which the Defendant pled guilty, a money judgment in the amount of $250,000 in United States currency (the “Money Judgment”), representing the amount of property involved in the offense charged in Count Four of the Indictment, 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 CRISTIAN CO STEA, 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 Marshals Service, 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. The United States Marshals Service is authorized to deposit the payments on the Money Judgment into the 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.