Magistrate judge case numbers: 

  1. June 26, 2017

    UN Bribery Trial Begins After Feds Reject 11th-Hour Deal

    Jury selection began Monday in the trial of a Chinese businessman accused of bribing United Nations officials after prosecutors told a Manhattan federal judge they had rejected his attorneys' proposed plea deal the week before.

  2. June 21, 2017

    Feds Can Shield Classified Info In UN Bribery Case

    A New York federal judge on Wednesday held that prosecutors can shield certain classified information from a Chinese developer accused of bribing United Nations officials, ruling the information is relevant to national security and wouldn't aid the developer in his trial, which is slated to start next week. 

  3. May 30, 2017

    UN Bribery Trial Delayed Amid Gov't Secrecy Concerns

    The trial of a Chinese developer accused of bribing United Nations officials — set for jury selection on Tuesday — was pushed back after prosecutors asked for an extra month to work on a request to shield classified information.

  4. May 25, 2017

    Billionaire Developer Peppers Judge Ahead Of UN Bribe Trial

    Chinese real estate billionaire Ng Lap Seng's legal team has lodged a flurry of letters ahead of the developer's Tuesday bribery trial, with the latest missive Thursday saying a key cooperating witness may have made undisclosed exculpatory statements during plea talks with prosecutors.

  5. May 18, 2017

    Russia Meddling Claims Block 'Donorgate' From UN Bribe Trial

    A New York federal judge on Thursday blocked a swath of evidence concerning Chinese billionaire Ng Lap Seng's purported funding of U.S. politics, saying the risk of prejudice by bringing up foreign political meddling in the bribery trial is too great in light of the current accusations of undue overseas influence in last year's elections.

  6. May 16, 2017

    Developer Seeks McDonnell Instructions At UN Bribery Trial

    Chinese real estate developer Ng Lap Seng asked a Manhattan federal judge on Monday to tell a jury in an upcoming trial the government must prove he bribed U.N. diplomats in exchange for "official acts" as defined in the U.S. Supreme Court's McDonnell ruling.

  7. May 02, 2017

    UN Bribe Suspect Downplays Payments To Convicted Ex-Rep

    A Chinese billionaire set to go on trial for bribing United Nations officials argued on Monday that payments to the family of former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., who pled guilty to campaign finance fraud in 2013, weren't illegal and prosecutors therefore can't bring them up at trial.

  8. April 28, 2017

    Ex-UN Official Cops To New Charges In UN Bribery Case

    Former diplomat Francis Lorenzo pled guilty Thursday to fresh charges stemming from the federal probe of bribery at the United Nations, admitting to receiving bribes and to a violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act a month ahead of a scheduled trial for Chinese real estate billionaire Ng Lap Seng, the lone remaining defendant.

  9. April 26, 2017

    Billionaire Can't Dodge Indictment In UN Bribery Case

    A New York federal judge Wednesday declined to dismiss an indictment against Chinese real estate billionaire Ng Lap Seng charging him with a plot to bribe United Nations officials to facilitate construction of a convention center in Macau, saying it is legally sufficient.

  10. April 07, 2017

    Billionaire's Ex-Helper Cops To Tax Count In UN Bribe Case

    A California man accused of assisting real estate billionaire Ng Lap Seng in a scheme to bribe United Nations officials pled guilty Friday to a tax-evasion conspiracy charge, leaving the wealthy Chinese developer as the last defendant in the high-profile prosecution.