Co-conspirator of Ponzi scammer Renwick Haddow wants new trial
James Moore, who was convicted wire fraud and conspiracy for engaging in a scheme to defraud investors, seeks a new trial due to what he calls “prejudicial error”.
James Moore, a co-conspirator of Ponzi scammer Renwick Haddow, is seeking a new trial. Earlier this month, Moore was convicted at trial of wire fraud and conspiracy for engaging in a scheme to defraud investors by making misrepresentations about the management and operations of Bar Works Inc.
As per documents filed on June 20, 2019, Moore moves the New York Southern District Court, pursuant to Rule 33 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, for a new trial. Rule 33(a) provides that upon the defendant’s motion, the court may vacate any judgment and grant a new trial if the interest of justice requires.
Moore claims that counsel for the United States, during the government’s rebuttal portion of its closing argument, intentionally and improperly directed his comments to one specific juror.
Moore says that it is well established that counsel for the parties should not speak directly with prior to rendering its verdict. Unfortunately, during the rebuttal portion the government’s closing argument, counsel for the government chose to speak directly to Juror No. 10 as opposed to addressing the panel as a whole. According to Moore, this action constitute clear, fundamental and prejudicial error that denied him a fair trial.
From 2015 to 2016, Moore and others partnered with Renwick Haddow, who is also a British citizen, in soliciting investments into workspace leases in a co-working business called Bar Works through material misrepresentations concerning, among other things, the identity of Bar Works’ management. Previously, Haddow had been disqualified as a director of any United Kingdom company for eight years, and was sued by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for operating investment schemes that lost investors substantially all of their money.
In order to conceal his role at Bar Works because of the negative publicity on the Internet related to past investment schemes and government sanctions in the UK, Haddow adopted the alias “Jonathan Black.” Notwithstanding Haddow’s control over Bar Works, Moore and others knowingly distributed the Bar Works offering materials listing Black as the Chief Executive Officer of Bar Works and claiming that Black had an extensive background in finance and past success with start-up companies. Moore also received in excess of $1.6 million in commissions for his participation in the scheme.
Moore, 58, of the United Kingdom and Miami, Florida, was convicted of one count of wire fraud and one count of wire fraud conspiracy. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Haddow testified during Moore’s trial. The sentencing date for Haddow, however, is not yet known.
