Overview

• On July 11 James Wellesley was brought from the UK to Brooklyn federal court, pleaded not guilty and was ordered detained pending trial on fraud and money laundering charges
• Prosecutors allege Wellesley and co-defendant Stephen Burton ran Bordeaux Cellars from 2017 to 2019, soliciting $99 million by falsely claiming loans were secured by valuable wine collections
• The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs obtained UK help for Wellesley’s arrest while US, UK and Moroccan authorities collaborated on both defendants’ arrests and extraditions
• Stephen Burton was extradited from Morocco in December 2023, remains held in Brooklyn and is set for a further court appearance later this month
• Both men are charged with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy and face up to 20 years in prison if convicted