Here are the notes, as promised.

I may have to bail out, and return later — but I will start, thus:

▲ We are awaiting USDC Judge Castel; Virgil is in the courtroom now, brought in by US Marshals; waves meekly to his parents (wearing federal DoC jumpsuit)….

▲ We are underway, the Judge reads the list of documents he’s relying on. . . defense counsel up first….

▲ Mr. Klein for Virgil is restating most of his moving papers’ arguments — no compensation received; a “victimless” crime [Ed. Note: this is flatly false; ask the starving North Korean people.]…

▲ Makes mention of the fact that Mr. Griffith caught COVID in the MDC; terrible conditions — organized gangs control commissary there, so he couldn’t get access… his current housing is much better, but he’s been through a lot in federal lockup already….

▲ Griffith would request (Ed. Note: Martin Shkreli’s current) housing — at FCI Allenwood Low…

▲ Judge Castel notes that the defense papers list Vigil’s diagnosis as “narcissistic personality disorder” (Ed. Note: also like Shkreli)….

▲ Defense counsel highlights his help of a homeless man, at the Waffle House… “He saved this man….”

▲ Judge Castel dryly mentions “that was after his arrest, right?”….

▲ Second chair defense counsel, Mr. Buckley, says “there was an absence of financial gain.”

▲ Condor: Of course, the statute nowhere mentions a need to show he personally made money. And he pleaded to an agreed statement of facts: he admits he did it all, and that it was a series… of felonies….

▲ Griffith speaking now, offers his apologies — and indicates that watching Ukraine [invasion, and Russian sanctions] has shown him their value. “I have been cured of my stubborn arrogance, and my obsession with North Korea. My career has been damaged….”

▲ AUSAs speaking now — this is no First Amendment case, he was teaching “smart contracts for North Korea” — to sponsor terrorism. Sanctions are crucial to putting pressure on rogue state actors.

▲ Essentially, he joined forces with an odious dictator’s regime….

▲ The AUSA goes on to point out he well-knew what he was doing. He tried to access over $1 million in a single crypto account. He bragged about it…. In light of Ukraine invasion, “this sentence should send a message about not undermining sanctions….”

▲ The able USDC Judge Castel is ready to impose the sentence… he says “Mr. Griffith pleaded guilty the day before trial. It was intentional violation of sanctions, which are intended to avoid military conflict….”

▲ Judge Castel takes specific note of a photo, in admitted evidence, of Mr. Griffith wearing a North Korean tunic, with a white board behind him containing the message “No Sanctions! Yay!” along with a smiley face… behind him. Seems intentional:

▲ Judge Castel: “I sentence him to 63 months in prison and a fine of $100,000.”

▲ “Mr. Griffith has no real clear ideology… He played off both sides, all that mattered was that he was at the center….”

More soon Almost exactly as we predicted… over five years. Onward.

नमस्ते