ReportWire

Tag: Government Corruption

  • New Federal Filings Ask Whether Key SEC, Treasury, and DOJ Documents Omitted From PROMESA Hearings Could Have Influenced the 2016 Congressional Vote

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    Whistleblower urges reporters and policymakers to examine public RICO filings citing HR 1049’s findings and a Treasury-SEC memo questioning the 2013 PREPA bond issuance.

    Federal whistleblower Richard R. Lawless has submitted new filings highlighting federal documents that do not appear to have been referenced during the 2016 PROMESA hearings, despite containing substantial risk information relevant to Puerto Rico’s financial collapse. These materials, incorporated into a public set of civil RICO allegations now available on the PROMESA Title III docket, raise significant questions for policymakers, investors, and financial analysts.

    Central to the filings are two key documents:

    1. HR 1049 (2015 House Natural Resources Committee Report)
    The report – an official congressional document – described Puerto Rico’s electric utility finances citing refinancing cycles, distressed revenue structures, and internal financial warnings that predated PROMESA.

    2. A 22-Page Treasury-SEC Email from 2013
    Authored within the Treasury Department and shared with the SEC, the communication raised internal concerns that the 2013 PREPA bond issuance may not have fully reflected known risk factors. These included uncollectible receivables, revenue instability, and questions regarding the clarity of the offering materials. The 2013 bond issue later defaulted within approximately two years.

    A Key Question Raised in the Filings

    “If federal agencies possessed these documents prior to the PROMESA hearings, why were they not presented-and would the PROMESA vote have proceeded as it did if they had been?”

    Lawless emphasized that the filings do not assert conclusions but call for independent examination by oversight bodies.
    “Given the scale of the documents now in the public domain, I strongly encourage reporters, policymakers, and analysts to review the docketed RICO materials themselves,” Lawless said. “Every referenced document is publicly accessible.”

    Potential Impact Identified by Analysts

    Analysts reviewing the filings note that:

    HR 1049’s language does not appear in public PROMESA hearing transcripts;

    The Treasury-SEC memo does not appear in the legislative record;

    Both documents contain information that rating agencies, insurers, and institutional investors may have considered material;

    Access to these documents could have influenced congressional debate and legislative outcomes.

    Invitation for Review

    The full RICO filings – including exhibits, timelines, and referenced federal documents – are available on the public docket. Lawless stated that transparency and independent verification are essential given the legislative importance of PROMESA and the scale of the financial losses involved.

    No federal agency referenced in the filings has issued public comment on the historical handling of these documents.

    Contact Information

    Richard Lawless
    CEO
    richardrlawless@gmail.com
    951-440-5230

    Source: Medlaw Publishing

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  • Nepal’s government lifts ban on social media after deadly protests

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    Nepal’s government has lifted a controversial ban on social media platforms following violent protests in which at least 19 people died.

    The Cabinet took this decision after a late-night crisis meeting, Nepali Communication Minister Prithvi Subba Gurung told the local news portal OnlineKhabar.

    On Monday, at least 19 people were killed in clashes between demonstrators and police in the country, including at least 17 in Kathmandu.

    Over 100 people were injured, including police officers, according to authorities.

    The unrest follows the government’s decision last week to block 26 online networks, including Facebook and Instagram, across the Himalayan nation. Authorities accused the platforms of failing to register properly.

    In August, Nepal’s Supreme Court had ordered that the affected online services be placed under state supervision to help combat the spread of misinformation online.

    Critics say the government is using the measure to expand control over the platforms rather than merely to regulate them.

    Thousands of people, mostly young people aged roughly 18 to 30, took to the streets across the country to protest the move.

    In Kathmandu, the situation escalated on Monday when protesters tried to force their way into the parliament building. Participants in the protests also voiced concerns about rising government corruption.

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  • Whistleblower Plaintiff Moves for “Public Interest” Designation in Federal Case Involving DOJ & SEC Misconduct Allegations

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    Federal whistleblower Richard R. Lawless has filed a motion in the United States District Court for the Central District of California seeking to have his civil rights lawsuit against the United States formally designated as a case of public interest.

    The case involves allegations that senior officials at the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Department of the Treasury knowingly concealed evidence of fraudulent Puerto Rico municipal bonds prior to the passage of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA). These actions allegedly deprived more than 170,000 creditors of their property rights, undermined federal market regulation, and misled Congress.

    The lawsuit’s importance is heightened by three ongoing Inspector General investigations-two within the Department of Justice and one within the SEC-as well as an active California State Bar Association investigation into the conduct of four Assistant U.S. Attorneys involved in this case. A pending Ninth Circuit Judicial Misconduct proceeding (Case No. 25-90081) against the presiding judge further underscores the case’s public importance.

    “This is not just my case-it’s about government accountability and the right of the public to know how billions in taxpayer and investor funds were handled,” Lawless said.

    If granted, the motion would require the court to ensure public notice of hearings, remote access to proceedings, and prompt publication of all non-sealed filings.

    Case Information:
    Richard R. Lawless v. United States of America
    Case No. 5:25-cv-01599-JWH-SP
    U.S. District Court, Central District of California

    Contact:
    Richard R. Lawless
    30279 Redding Avenue
    Murrieta, CA 92563
    (951) 440-5230
    richardrlawless@gmail.com

    Source: Medlaw Publishing

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