Extra: Girgis Was Charged As Spy for Egypt UN Mission But Now Pleads to Misdemeanor in SDNY

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By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Maxwell Book

SDNY COURT, Exclusive series, Aug 14 – In another illegal spying or representation case, alongside Eastern District of New York prosecutions of a UN-affiliated Iranian spy and an NYPD officer reporing to China's Mission to the UN about Tibetans in New York, on January 6 the Southern District of New York unsealed an indictment charging PIERRE GIRGIS, a dual Egyptian and U.S. citizen, with acting and conspiring to act in the United States as an unregistered agent of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

 In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Magistrates Court where Inner City Press was the only media, Girgis was released on $100,000 bond by Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger, to be secured by his car within two weeks, see below.

  On February 16 Girgis and his Federal Defenders appeared before SDNY District Judge Alison J. Nathan. There was talk of discovery to be loaded onto a 2 gigabyte hard drive in three weeks.

Jump cut to June 23, 2022: after Judge Nathan's elevation to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, Girgis' case was reassigned to Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who held an in-person conference which Inner City Press attended, one of two people in the gallery. (The other was a Girgis relative or supporter).

  Jump cut to August 14, 2024 when on no public notice Girgis came before Judge Failla to plead guilty - to a mere misdemeanor. Inner City Press was there (how we found out is another story) - thread:

Judge: I understand this is a plea to a misdemeanor [!] See, e.g., beyond Inner City Press,  According to DOJ Girgis "tracked and obtained" information about Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's political rivals. ...

 Judge: I went 11 years without taking a misdemeanor plea... There is no need to waive indictment. How old are you? Girgis: 42  Judge: Are you satisfied with your lawyer? Girgis laughs.

Judge: I'd ask you to take this proceeding more seriously. [Not said in a threatening way] Is there a right to jury trial for this misdemeanor? Federal Defender: A jury of 6, not 12.  Judge: Are you applying to waive the pre-sentencing report? FD for Girgis: Yes. AUSA: We think a PSR could help the court.

 Judge: You are charged with not disclosing on your mail that it was from a foreign power - 22 USC Sections 614(b) and 618. The maximum sentence for this charge is six months in prison  [There was also Girgis' tourism-promoting trip to Egypt for about 100 New York City and Nassau County, New York, police officers that was co-organized by a Pierre Girgis, whom the piece identified as a Capital One banker of Egyptian descent. ]

[Here's what Girgis is being allowed to plead down to: 22 U.S. Code § 614 - Filing and labeling of political propaganda ...who causes to be transmitted in US mail any informational materials for or in the interests of such foreign principal (i) in the form of [etc]

   Judge: Tell me what you did. Pierre Girgis: In Sept 2018 I sent by WhatsApp a document for an Egyptian government counselor in Manhattan, about the draft and Egyptian expatriates. I did not then know that it was wrong Judge: Do you now? Girgis: Yes. 

This is what SDNY let Girgis plead to having sent out. What else is out there? #MitigationReport

Judge: Government? AUSA: We have information about meetings with Egyptian officials. Judge: Mr. Girgis, how do you plead? Girgis: Guilty. Judge: I accept your guilty plea 

Federal Defender: For a sentencing in mid September we would use our [non public] mitigation submission which got us this misdemeanor resolution. Judge: Will I get a copy of this mitigation submission? FD: Yes. [But will the public?]

 Judge: I will not order a PSR. Sentencing is set for October 3. FD: We want the bail lien on his car lifted, and to not report to Pre Trial Services, even online.  Judge: I'll issue a new order - inform PTS of travel. Adjourned

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