Read a transcript of the moment Rudy Kurniawan was found guilty of mail fraud and wire fraud on the seventh day of the trial in New York.
THE COURT: So I’m going to ask you to remain standing. The jury has sent us a note indicating that they have reached a verdict. So what we’re going to do is call them in. And what we do in a case like this is poll the jurors collectively and individually. Christine will do that. And if the verdict is in order, I will accept the verdict. OK.
(Jury present; time noted 10:55 a.m.)
THE COURT: Good morning, everybody. Good to see you again.
JURORS: Good morning.
THE COURT: So please be seated.
So I am aware that the jury has informed the Court that they have reached a verdict. And so what I’m going to ask Christine to do is to poll the jury individually, just to make sure that the verdict is unanimous.
THE CLERK: In the matter of the United States of America v. Rudy Kurniawan, how do you, the jury, find as to the following questions: With regard to Count One, mail fraud, the alleged scheme to create, sell, and attempt to sell counterfeit wine, number one, on the charge of mail fraud, you find the defendant, Rudy Kurniawan:
THE FOREPERSON: Guilty.
THE CLERK: With regard to Count Two, wire fraud, the alleged scheme to defraud Fine Art Capital, number two, on the charge of wire fraud, you find the defendant, Rudy Kurniawan:
THE FOREPERSON: Guilty.
THE CLERK: You can sit down, please.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, please listen to your verdict as it stands recorded. Mail fraud, the alleged scheme to create, sell, and attempt to sell counterfeit wines: 1, on the charge of mail fraud, you find the defendant, Rudy Kurniawan guilty. With regard to Count Two, wire fraud, the alleged scheme to defraud Fine Art Capital, no. 2, on the charge of wire fraud, you find the defendant, Rudy Kurniawan, guilty.
Juror No. 1, is that your verdict?
(Jury polled; each juror answered in the affirmative)
THE CLERK: Your Honor, jurors polled. Verdict is unanimous.
THE COURT: Well, all that remains, then, is for me to extend my heartfelt thanks for your hard work this week and last week. This jury was exceptional in the sense that you were always here on time. Some of you were here early, which is a pleasure for us. We were always able to start on time.
And for this trial, unlike most of the trials I’ve done in the past, we actually started a half hour early, we started at 9, in order to make sure we would get this, or hoped to get this trial done before the Christmas holidays.So thank you once again. It is my practice, if it’s OK with you, I’ll come back in the jury room in a moment after you go back there and just to offer you my thanks again person to person. But I wish you all a happy holiday and thank you very much for your jury service.
The jury is excused.
Written by John Abbott
