Live-Notes -- From Virgil Griffith's Sentencing In Manhattan...

Here are the notes, as promised.

I may have to bail out, and return later -- but I will start, thus:

▲ We are awaiting USDC Judge Castel; Virgil is in the courtroom now, brought in by US Marshals; waves meekly to his parents (wearing federal DoC jumpsuit). . . .

▲ We are underway, the Judge reads the list of documents he's relying on. . . defense counsel up first. . . .

▲ Mr. Klein for Virgil is restating most of his moving papers' arguments -- no compensation received; a "victimless" crime [Ed. Note: this is flatly false; ask the starving North Korean people.] . . .

▲ Makes mention of the fact that Mr. Griffith caught COVID in the MDC; terrible conditions -- organized gangs control commissary there, so he couldn't get access. . . . his current housing is much better, but he's been through a lot in federal lockup already. . . .

▲ Griffith would request (Ed. Note: Martin Shkreli's current) housing -- at FCI Allenwood Low. . . .

▲ Judge Castel notes that the defense papers list Vigil's diagnosis as "narcissistic personality disorder" (Ed. Note: also like Shkreli). . .

▲ Defense counsel highlights his help of a homeless man, at the Waffle House. . . . "He saved this man. . . ."

▲ Judge Castel dryly mentions "that was after his arrest, right?". . . .

▲ Second chair defense counsel, Mr. Buckley, says "there was an absence of financial gain. . . ."

▲ Condor: Of course, the statute nowhere mentions a need to show he personally made money. And he pleaded to an agreed statement of facts: he admits he did it all, and that it was a series. . . of felonies. . . .

▲ Griffith speaking now, offers his apologies -- and indicates that watching Ukraine [invasion, and Russian sanctions] has shown him their value. "I have been cured of my stubborn arrogance, and my obsession with North Korea. My career has been damaged. . . ."

▲ AUSAs speaking now -- this is no First Amendment case, he was teaching "smart contracts for North Korea" -- to sponsor terrorism. Sanctions are crucial to putting pressure on rogue state actors. . . .

▲ Essentially, he joined forces with an odious dictator's regime. . . .

▲ The AUSA goes on to point out he well-knew what he was doing. He tried to access over $1 million in a single crypto account. He bragged about it. . . . In light of Ukraine invasion, "this sentence should send a message about not undermining sanctions. . . ."

▲ The able USDC Judge Castel is ready to impose the sentence. . . he says "Mr. Griffith pleaded guilty the day before trial. It was intentional violation of sanctions, which are intended to avoid military conflict. . . ."

▲ Judge Castel takes specific note of a photo, in admitted evidence, of Mr. Griffith wearing a North Korean tunic, with a white board behind him containing the message "No Sanctions! Yay!" along with a smiley face. . . behind him. Seems intentional. . . .

▲ Judge Castel: "I sentence him to 63 months in prison and a fine of $100,000."

▲ "Mr. Griffith has no real clear ideology. . . He played off both sides, all that mattered was that he was at the center. . . ."

More soon Almost exactly as we predicted. . . over five years. Onward.

नमस्ते