Concepts, Incorporated and account number 010-000-421 at the Caribbean American Bank. These transactions took place in July, 1996. Wire transfer instructions provided to Morrison by Newman specified that funds be transmitted to the Privat Kredit Bank for credit to the American International Bank, for further credit to the Caribbean American bank escrow account number 010-00-216. The attorney utilized by Newman to facilitate the transactions with Morrison was identified as R. Allan Cohen in Coolidge, Georgia. Morrison wired transferred $62,500.00 to the account in Antigua as a fifty percent escrow payment pending the completion of additional work by Newman. 32. On October 10, 1996, a conference call involving SA Pledger, your affiant, Morrison, and Morrison's attorney, Robert Natale, occurred. Morrison advised your affiant that he would be directing a facsimile to the Caribbean American Bank instructing them to return the $62,500.00 currently held in their escrow account to his institution in the United States. This facsimile was sent. The facsimile was directed to (268) 462-9215 and was to the attention of bank employee, Sharon A. Weeks. The communications as sent to Caribbean American Bank by Morrison were copied and a copy was provided to your Affiant and SA Pledger. Morrison's $62,500.00 has not been returned. 33. SA Pledger has advised your Affiant that he reviewed other documents obtained from Jessica Maun at the Nassau Bahamas, U.S. Customs Pre-clearance facility. Copies of all TRANSCRIPT OF ARRAIGNMENT AND DETENTION PROCEEDINGS 4 5 6 MR. ANDERSON: 7 THE COURT: Be seated, please. Good afternoon. MS. PADGETT: Good afternoon. Good afternoon. THE COURT: This is the first appearance in an indictment of the United States versus Ronald Allan Cohen. It's Case Number 98cr19, Case Number 1, in Gainesville Division. I'm a United States Magistrate Judge. Who is Mr. Cohen? 18 2 is at first appearance to advise you of the nature of the charges against you, to consider the question of release and conditions of release, and to be sure you have a lawyer to represent you. No, you can remain I've got to go through a 19 20 21 22 23 this point. 24 Do you have a copy of the indictment? 25 THE DEFENDANT: litany of things, and no point in standing on formality at Yes, sir. 3 1 THE COURT: Okay. The indictment charges, in Count I, that from January 1st, 1991, and continuing through the date of the indictment, that you conspired with other people I'm not going to read it out loud. 2 3 4 THE COURT: Okay. We waive it. - That's fine. generally describe the nature of the charges, and we'll get to the arraignment in just a second. to conduct or caused to be conducted THE COURT: a financial transaction, knowing that the transactions represented proceeds from an alleged unlawful activity 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 - and that the financial transactions were carried out with the intent to promote the carrying on of that specified unlawful activity. The maximum potential penalty, should you be found guilty, is a sentence of 20 years' imprisonment; a fine of $500,000, or twice the amount that the government is able to prove, if they are able to prove an amount; and three years of supervised release. At first appearance it's my job to tell you of your constitutional rights, and I'll do that. Your first is your Fifth Amendment right to remain silent. You do not have to say anything about what you are 25 alleged to have done. The government has the burden of 4 1 proving your guilt of what they have charged and every 2 3 element of it beyond a reasonable doubt; they cannot ask questions of you, and they cannot argue that you're guilty 4 5 6 7 8 by pointing to you and saying you're guilty because you If at any point you wish to answer questions about what has been alleged here, you have a right to have your lawyer present with you when you do it. You don't have to do that alone. You have a right to stop talking and go talk privately with your lawyer, and at any point you carry the ability to fall silent and not say anything. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Mr. Anderson is retained as counsel; is that If, before you came in here today, you have spoken to anyone other than your attorney about what is alleged here, and you now want to be silent, you, of course, have that right to do that. hearing today, myself and Mr. Converse Bright, an attorney 21 out of Valdosta, who is licensed in the Northern District, THE COURT: Okay. With regard to right of counsel, you've got the right, of course, to hire an attorney. If at any point you cannot afford an attorney, you have the right |