PG RELATED BECAUSE THE MORE SEALED INDICTMENTS THERE ARE, THE MORE LIKELY THEY ARE BRINGING DOWN A LARGE SCALE ORGANIZED CRIME UNIT. THE LARGER THE ORGANIZED CRIME UNIT, THE MORE LIKELY IT IS RELATED TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
I know people have been saying "WHOA, bro, this is a ton of indictments." But a "ton" to one is not a "ton" to another.
So, here is my attempt to give you context to the sealed indictments...
What is a sealed indictment? Criminal charges that are brought by the grand jury where the charges and Defendant are kept secret.
Why do they seal indictments? Usually in large, organized crime cases, the prosecutors want to keep the defendants secret, so as not to tip them off that they are still collecting more evidence, or that maybe a co-defendant is cooperating.
What is the normal frequency of sealed indictments? The only official numbers I could find are from 2006, completed by the Federal Courts. In 2006, there were 284 sealed indictments across the entire year, for ALL districts, combined. https://www.fjc.gov/sites/default/files/2012/SealCaFC.pdf
How do I (a normal citizen, not employed by the Federal Courts) find out how many sealed indictments there are? Dockets (a court's calendar) are public information. So, the sealed cases appear on the dockets, but as "Sealed v. Sealed," or "Defendant: Sealed." Any person can go on a federal court's website and count the sealed cases. OR, you can order a PACER Report. PACER will do all the work for you for a price. They aggregate all of the public information into one document.
What is the frequency this year? According to a PACER REPORT ordered by @damartin32 on Twitter, 832 sealed indcitments were filed across the country between 10/30 and 11/14 of this year. So, in just two weeks we have over 800 sealed indictments filed across the US. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ybqDYsLxNnkKNEypjHfuzZuXEo1WbIKd/view
800+ in two weeks vs 200+ all year
Assuming that the 832 number is correct and assuming that the number of sealed indictments has not DRASTICALLY changed in the last decade, then Yes, this is abnormal.
Of course it is POSSIBLE that none of these are related. But it is not likely. There becomes a point where there are so many coicidences that it stops being coincidental.
I hope this post gives you context.
FINAL QUESTIONS: Is this related to Trump/Russia collusion? Well if this were related to Trump/Russia collusion, would it be THIS extensive? If it were related to Trump/Russia collusion, why are so many of the indictments (by far) out of California Central District (which just happens to contain Hollywood)?
EDIT1: Even though the indictment numbers are abnormal to me, they sounded TOO abnormal, so I did my own sampling using the SAME database and SAME terms, just different dates... I did filing periods of 10/30 - 11/15 over 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Not enough time/energy to do ALL districts, but here is Arkansas:
2013: 3 cases filed, 1 sealed
2014: 4 cases filed, 1 sealed
2015: 6 cases filed, 1 sealed
2016: 11 cases filed, 6 sealed
2017: 21 cases filed, 6 sealed
That sounds more reasonable... AND it makes sense that increased SEALINGS extend back at least a year because organized crime is very complex litigation. They often spin those defendants and turn them on the bigger fish.
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darkknight111 ago
Very interesting.
Just to confirm a theory, could you check the numbers for a few random years?
My theory is about the average number of sealed indictments per year. If it is correct, then 2006 should be a relatively average year, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that this number of 800+ is a major statistical anomoly, thus a big "something burger".
mooteensy ago
A something burger, indeed, my friend.
lawyer4justice ago
This is the comment that got me thinking more... 2016 would still be abnormal if this is really a complex litigation. But, before that, it should drop off. See my edit above...
pops1975 ago
Thinking of the corrupt and crooked cogs in the current and former US DOJ.
Doctored indictment stats?
Know majority DOJ es don't know how to behave.
Especially when heir names are sealed up real good in those indictments.
Yes. I am talking about you Mr. Lawyer:
Holder
Lynch
Comey
Will add more later.
Just like all the rogue fderal employed citizens...
Maybe powers that be are messing with the numbering...data.
Like labor stats and other examples.
I still think of Assistant Attorney General's
dead body with a reported bullet to the head showing upat Florida beach side.
Thinking it has to be related. ?
lawyer4justice ago
What would be the purpose of doctoring?
DOJ doesn't keep these stats, they are kept by the courts and their clerks and entered into a central database. Grand juries are VERY secretive and the citizens that empanel them take their job very seriously. So,no leaks is normal too.