DOJ Objects To Further Briefing In Hobson Motion For Acquittal
This recent post discussed how newly engaged defense counsel in U.S. v. Hobson made a filing seeking leave to file a reply in support of Hobson’s pending motion for a judgment of acquittal citing a June Supreme Court decision – Hunter v. U.S. – and how it “bears directly on how this case was litigated.”
As discussed here, in February Charles Hunter Hobson (who served in a variety of roles at Corsa Coal from 2013 to 2018) was found guilty by a jury for various Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and related offenses in connection with an Egyptian bribery scheme. As highlighted here, the “foreign official” jury instruction in the Hobson case was flawed and Hobson’s motion for acquittal (filed on April 6th) on a variety of issues remains outstanding.
New Counsel In Hobson Cites Recent Supreme Court Decision And How It “Bears Directly On How This Case Was Litigated”
As discussed here, in February Charles Hunter Hobson (who served in a variety of roles at Corsa Coal from 2013 to 2018) was found guilty by a jury for various Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and related offenses in connection with an Egyptian bribery scheme. As highlighted here, the “foreign official” jury instruction in the Hobson case was flawed and Hobson’s motion for acquittal (filed on April 6th) on a variety of issues remains outstanding.
Recently, Hobson switched counsel and is now represented by R. McConnell Group attorneys Ryan McConnell, Matthew Boyden, and Larry Finder. This same group of attorneys recently represented FCPA defendant Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez. As highlighted in this recent post, in April, Judge Kenneth Hoyt (S.D. Texas) granted post-trial motions to dismiss and acquittal by Ramon Alexandro Rovirosa Martinez and ordered that he be released from prison.
Hobson Sentencing Rescheduled As New Counsel Takes Over
As discussed here, in February Charles Hunter Hobson (who served in a variety of roles at Corsa Coal from 2013 to 2018) was found guilty by a jury for various Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and related offenses in connection with an Egyptian bribery scheme. As highlighted here, the “foreign official” jury instruction in the Hobson case was flawed and Hobson’s motion for acquittal (filed on April 6th) remains outstanding.
Recently, Hobson switched counsel and is now represented by R. McConnell Group attorneys Ryan McConnell, Matthew Boyden, and Larry Finder.
Yesterday, against the DOJ’s objection, Judge Robert Colville (W.D. Pa) granted Hobson’s request to continue sentencing. Sentencing, which was set for August 4th, is now rescheduled to October 28th.
The Flawed Jury Instruction In The Hobson Matter
As highlighted here, last week Charles Hunter Hobson (who served in a variety of roles at Corsa Coal from 2013 to 2018) was found guilty by a jury for various Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and related offenses in connection with an Egyptian bribery scheme.
As stated by the DOJ, the bribery scheme involved “Al Nasr Company for Coke and Chemicals (Al Nasr), which was then a state-owned and state-controlled chemical manufacturing company in Egypt.”
The issue of whether Al Nasr was an “instrumentality” of the Egyptian government such that employees of Al Nasr could be “foreign officials” was the focus of a specific jury instruction.
The jury instruction stated:
Hobson Found Guilty At Trial
As highlighted in this prior post, in 2021 Frederick Cushmore Jr. (a former executive of Pennsylvania-based coal mining company Corsa Coal Corp.) was criminally charged and pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge to violate the FCPA’s anti-bribery provisions in connection with a bribery scheme in Egypt involving Al Nasr Company for Coke and Chemicals (“Al Nasr” or “NCCC” – an alleged Egyptian state-owned and state-controlled entity and a subsidiary of Metallurgical Industries Holding Company, which was owned and controlled by the Egyptian government).
In 2022, Charles Hunter Hobson (who served in a variety of roles at Corsa Coal from 2013 to 2018) was also criminally charged in connection with the same core conduct. (See here).