Wiseman forfeits convicted trader’s $50K property bond

The Superior Court has forfeited a $50,000 property bond posted by a convicted businessman who has not returned to the CNMI after he was allowed to travel to South Korea for medical treatment while his appeal is pending in court.

Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman ruled that the court finds “by clear and convincing evidence” that 53-year-old Jong Hun Lee has violated the terms and conditions of his bail.

In his order issued Tuesday, Wiseman said the pretrial release order required Lee to keep all appointments with his attorney, G. Anthony Long.

However, the judge said, according to Long, Lee made no contact with him despite several attempts by the lawyer to contact him from the date of the defendant’s release until the present.

Wiseman said that Long admitted that there has been no contact between him and Lee since the defendant’s release.

The date of the release was not indicated.

Wiseman said such admissions are sufficient to establish facts that Lee failed to maintain contact with his attorney.

Lee was charged for bribing an immigration officer with money on Tinian.

On Nov. 12, 2002, Lee was convicted of bribery during a bench trial, while the court acquitted the immigration officer. Lee appealed his conviction.

Court records show that Lee was released on a $50,000 property bond. One of the conditions was to return to court whenever required to do so.

Subsequent to Lee’s conviction and during his stay pending appeal, he made several requests to travel to Korea for medical treatment.

The court granted Lee’s requests subject to certain conditions imposed by the court. One condition was that he was to provide the court his address and contact number while in Korea.

Assistant attorney general Rebecca Warfield moved to forfeit the bail.

In granting the government’s motion, Wiseman said Lee failed to meet this condition by failing to relay his contact information to the court on several occasions.

Another condition. Wiseman said, was that the defendant sign a waiver to opposing any extradition if necessary.

Lee signed the waiver.

Wiseman said that pursuant to the Commonwealth Rules of Criminal Procedure a declaration of forfeiture is mandatory upon a breach of any of the conditions of pretrial release.