The US Division of Justice requested for a deadline extension for the indictment in opposition to George Janssen, a Michigan poker participant who final month was accused of fraud by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
On Feb. 25, the FBI filed a criticism within the US District Court docket Japanese District of Michigan accusing Janssen of working a multi-million greenback auto mortgage scheme.
Ordinarily, prosecutors should file an indictment inside 30 days of when the defendant was arrested (Feb. 28). However the DOJ requested US Justice of the Peace Decide Patricia T. Morris for an extension to Might 28 in a joint movement with Janssen, arguing that “the ends of justice served by this continuance outweigh the very best pursuits of the defendant and the general public in a speedy indictment.”
In addition they requested {that a} preliminary listening to scheduled for March 20 be pushed again to Might 28 “as a result of each events want further time to research the invention and put together for the preliminary listening to.”
Decide Morris authorised each requests and ordered a preliminary listening to scheduled for Might 28 at 2 p.m. Japanese and for the federal government to file an indictment by the identical date.
Poker Participant Who Alleged Kidnapping Now Dealing with FBI Fraud Investigation
Criticism Towards Janssen
Janssen, four-time World Sequence of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) ring winner and Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Most important Occasion champion, went lacking in November 2023 and claimed to have been held captive as a part of a years-spanning extortion scheme.
The FBI alleges that Janssen, a former used automotive supplier, obtained thousands and thousands in fraudulent automotive loans from numerous monetary establishments and directed family and friends members to take out fraudulent loans on his behalf.
Collectively, the group obtained greater than $3.93 million from numerous banks and credit score unions.
Within the weeks earlier than he went lacking, prosecutors say Janssen misplaced his license to promote vehicles in Michigan for a five-year interval and allegedly deposited $1.4 million in dangerous checks.
Whereas he was lacking, the FBI and different companies have been notified of “a number of loans which had gone unpaid” taken out by shut associates of Janssen. The FBI mentioned a number of associates of Janssen approached regulation enforcement “to clear their title and specific concern that they had been defrauded by Janssen, who satisfied them to take out a number of car loans.”
Janssen had an preliminary courtroom look on Feb. 28 and was launched on bail. No costs are presently filed in opposition to him.
Connor Richards
Editor & Stay Reporter U.S.
