Opinion
S1 22 Cr. 338 (NSR)
12-20-2022
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. CHIDIEBELE OKAFOR, a/k/a “Dave” Defendant.
DAMIAN WILLIAMS UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK BY STEVEN J. KOCHEVAR ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY CHIDIEBELE OKAFOR BY BENJAMIN GOLD, ESQ. ATTORNEY FOR DEFENDANT FEDERAL DEFENDERS
DAMIAN WILLIAMS UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK BY STEVEN J. KOCHEVAR ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
CHIDIEBELE OKAFOR BY BENJAMIN GOLD, ESQ. ATTORNEY FOR DEFENDANT FEDERAL DEFENDERS
CONSENT PRELIMINARY ORDER OF FORFEITURE/MONEY JUDGMENT
NELSON STEPHEN ROMAN JUDGE
WHEREAS, on or about December 20, 2022. CHIDIEBELE OKAFOR, a/k/a “Dave”, (the “Defendant”), was charged in Superseding Information, S1 22 Cr. 338 (NSR) (the “Information”), with bank fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344, 3147 and 2 (Count One);
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 982(a)(2)(A), of any property, constituting or derived from proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of the commission 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 offense charged in Count One of the Information;
WHEREAS, on or about December 20, 2022, the Defendant pled guilty to Count One 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 982(a)(2)(A), a sum of money equal to $380,000 in United States currency, representing proceeds traceable to the commission of the offense charged in Count One of the Information;
WHEREAS, the Defendant consents to the entry of a money judgment in the amount of $380,000 in United States currency, representing the amount of proceeds traceable to the commission of the offense charged in Count One of the Information 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 of the Information 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 Attorney Steven J. Kochevar, of counsel, and the Defendant and his counsel, Benjamin Gold, Esq. that:
1. Asa result of the offense charged in Count One of the Information, to which the Defendant pled guilty, a money judgment in the amount of $380,000 in United States currency (the “Money Judgment”), representing the amount of proceeds traceable to the offense charged in Count One of the Information 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 CHIDIEBELE OKAFOR, 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.