Page 19 - David Tobin News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

BOSTON — On day six of testimony in the federal criminal case against former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia II, there were tales of a pay-to-play atmosphere in the city’s burgeoning legalized marijuana business. "I heard it was expensive to get into Fall River," said David Brayton, a former principal in the first marijuana company that Correia allegedly extorted. Brayton testified that he paid $100,000 of an agreed-upon $250,000 bribe to obtain a letter of non-opposition from Correia in July 2016 to open his marijuana business, Xiphias Wellness. He is listed in the 24-count superseding i...

BOSTON — Within a short time of receiving several hundred thousand dollars from investors for his start-up app company SnoOwl, Jasiel Correia II spent more than half the money on travel, entertainment, luxury items and paying off personal debt.  Correia then attempted to hide those personal expenditures as business expenditures on his tax returns. He also hid from the IRS the fact that SnoOwl, a partnership, even existed, according to testimony Friday.  That was the gist of the government’s case on Friday against the former Fall River mayor, with the majority of the day...

‘Shakedowns’ at center of former Fall River mayor’s federal corruption trial, prosecutors say By Shelley Murphy Globe Staff,Updated April 26, 2021, 1 hour ago Email to a Friend Former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia (center) arrived at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse on Monday.Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff Former Fall River mayor Jasiel F. Correia II betrayed his constituents by extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from four marijuana vendors seeking to open dispensaries in the city, forced his chief of staff to give him half her salary, and stole more than...

U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock will be presiding over the proceedings in Courtroom 1. Correia faces a total of 24 counts, including tax fraud in relation to his app company, SnoOwl, and extortion and bribery charges in relation to an alleged pay-to-play scheme he created with marijuana vendors looking to do business in Fall River. Four days were set aside last week for jury selection, though that still needs to be completed today. Opening statements began today as well. Dr. David Cabeceiras takes the stand The prosecution, specifically David Tobin today, is very precise in i...

BOSTON — Plexiglas, social distancing and masks are the new reality as court systems work to balance public health during a pandemic and the right of the accused to have a timely and fair trial. With former mayor Jasiel Correia II’s trial set to begin on Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock in a final pretrial conference on Monday gave an overview of new court protocols.  Only 26 people will be allowed in Courtroom 1 the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse for the duration of the trial. Woodlock said he anticipated the trial could last more than three weeks.