Hsu Case Postponed

Norman Hsu has just won another 10 weeks of California penal room and board, thanks to a postponement of his legal proceedings in that state unil January 4th.

The surprise delay raised eyebrows because Hsu's lawyers had filed motions asking the court to refund the $2 million bail he skipped out on in September and toss his 1992 fraud conviction altogether.

The postponement could signal anything from plea deal discussions to a ploy to fend off federal prosecutors in New York, who recently accused Hsu of a separate $60 million Ponzi scheme, one expert said.

"We're doing more research. These things take time," Hsu's lawyer, James Brosnahan, said...

Here's a prediction: Hsu is gathering documentation of the nature and timing of his relationship with one or more very significant people.  People significant enough (and a relationship with implications significant enough) that prosecutors are willing to give Hsu a surprising amount leeway to conduct such "research".

For a grand bargain to be worth Hsu's while, it would presumably involve negotiating with the U.S. Attorney in New York, who's wielding the new federal charges.  Skating on the 15-year-old California situation alone wouldn't go too far to brightening his future.  A palatable plea would likely require a reduction in those serious charges as well (or a favorable sentencing recommendation or some such) and that might require Hsu's "research" to yield a meatball of considerable spice, perhaps already proferred to prosecutors.

I think it will.